


Blooming For You

by Remsyk



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Angst, Domestic Fluff, Dubious medical explanations, Emotional Constipation, Established 1x3, Eventual 1x2x3, GW Block Party, Game of Thrones References, Hanahaki Disease, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Kinda, M/M, Matchmaker Quatre, NSFW, Pining, Pining Duo, Quatre is done, Sally is done, Sexy Times, Slow Burn, Tropes, We don't talk about feelings, accidental confessions, ot3 for life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2018-12-23 03:59:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11981688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remsyk/pseuds/Remsyk
Summary: "You made flowers grow in my lungs, and though they are beautiful, I can't fucking breathe."Duo has silently loved for them for years. He watched them find each other, yet the feelings still remained. But now the love he's carried for so long may become the thing that ends him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, in my defense, I spit this out in an attempt to write something short in time for posting, since my original story has gotten too big to finish in time. So it's not very well written, and I apologize, but I like it anyway.
> 
> And instead, this too has grown out of a one shot.
> 
> Why can't I just write a one shot and be done with it? Nooooo, it's gotta be long and drawn out, no one night stands here. Damn it.
> 
> Trope - Hanahaki Disease: An illness born from one-sided love, where the patient throws up and coughs up flowers and petals. The illness can be removed surgically, but any romantic feelings are removed as well.

Damn them all. Damn this mission, damn Une for insisting he be put on this op, and damn whoever thought the two Adonis gods needed to be there too.

Duo fumed silently as he checked and rechecked his gear, focusing his attention on the routine instead of glancing up every few seconds to watch Heero and Trowa go through the same motions. He was not going to stare at them this time, no sir. He was going to behave himself, just like every other time before, and not give in to his long dead pipe dream.

They had each other, after all.

The bitter thought sent an ache through his chest, and he rubbed it absently as he waited for the go ahead. He was so focused on ignoring everyone, he didn’t notice someone standing over him until they touched his shoulder.

Duo jumped, snapping his hand up to grab the offender’s wrist, only to drop it when he saw who it was.

Heero quirked an eyebrow at him, but didn’t comment. “Are you alright?”

Duo blinked at the question, already off balance from the close proximity with his first flame. “What?”

Heero frowned and waved at Duo’s chest. “Are you experiencing chest pains?”

_ Not the kind you think, _ Duo thought, shaking his head. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

Heero fixed him with a stare, watching him long enough Duo felt like he was being picked apart, then nodded once. “Let me know if it gets worse.”

“Um, yeah, sure thing.”  For a moment, it seemed Heero was going to comment further, but he nodded suddenly and left, returning to where Trowa sat, leaning back against the wall. Duo watched them converse softly and suppressed a sigh.

Way to be obvious.

“Look alive! We go on in five!”

A flurry of activity overtook the small room, and Duo shoved the odd interaction to the back of his mind. He would have plenty of time after the op to replay the interaction in his head, complete with accompanying chest pains.

He rubbed at them absently once more, then settled into his pre-mission routine. Business before pleasure, after all.

Thirty-two hours and a lifetime’s worth of mud later, Duo stood under the blistering spray of a shower, too tired to do more than angle his head out of the pounding water. The operation had been a nightmare from start to finish. 

From being dropped into unknown territory, to pounding rains, mucking through mud thick enough to swallow a person, Duo had been ready to call it a day before they even reached the rendezvous point. It had only degraded from there.

The small, but important outpost had been armed to the teeth, instead of the skeleton crew they had been expecting. It turned out that the head honchos had decided to hold a meeting, and had brought their personal entourages in addition to the beefed up security.

To say it had been a shit show would be kind.

Lucky for them, having all the heads in one place had made the mission a resounding success, culminating to one of the biggest arrests of Preventer’s history.

Unfortunately, it came in to the tune of multiple near-death experiences, including one Duo knew would be fueling his nightmares for months to come. He had been fortunate Heero had been close enough to intervene, saving his life.

Duo sighed heavily, then began the long process of unbraiding and washing his hair, replaying the event in his head. It had been the textbook definition of a freak accident, set off by a perfect chain of events. Duo had been standing in just the right place for the platform to pull away from the wall, the combination of wear and tear, and damage from ricochet and gunfire causing the bolts to give way, sheering off completely. He had no option to escape, just the promise of a long drop, and certain death at the bottom. Only Heero grabbing the platform with his ungodly strength had prevented the plunge. Duo had been too shell shocked to act, panic overriding his senses, then Trowa had been there, holding him tight against his chest as they escaped.

He had been too high on adrenaline to be embarrassed by his inability to save himself. The feeling of Trowa’s arms around him had left him tingling, and Heero’s equally gentle hands roving over his body searching for injuries had left him in a daze. 

His task complete, Duo scrubbed and rinsed, stepping out of the shower. He toweled off and dressed, tossing on a pair of old jeans and a tank top, then snatched a brush from his locker to work on his hair. Everyone else had already finished up and left, eager to get home to their family and creature comforts.

All Duo had waiting back in his shitty apartment was an orchid Wufei had given him as a housewarming gift after he had listened to Duo complain about the pet rules. He wasn’t allowed so much as a goldfish, and had ranted at length about the ridiculous restrictions. The plant had arrived the next day, with a note instructing him on how to care for it, ending with a not-so-subtle warning that he would only listen to Duo rant as often as the plant needed watered.

It was a shame it wasn’t Friday.

Duo finished brushing the last section of hair and replaced the brush, slamming the locker shut with a careless slap. Just as he reached up to begin braiding, the sound of the door swinging open made him pause.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me, Yuy.”

Duo froze at the angry words, surprised by the anger in Trowa’s voice. Footsteps echoed through the room, stopping in the row just before Duo’s, where he knew their lockers were located.

“What do you want me to say?” Heero answered, his voice a mix of anger and exasperation. “Did you really think I was going to sit and just watch?”

The sound of metal rattling accompanied his answer as he opened his locker. 

“You could have died.”

“He could have died!” Heero’s yell echoed through the room, leaving a sucking silence in its wake. Duo held his breath as he listened. He shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t be listening in on their argument, but he didn’t want to make his presence known either. 

He was stuck.

“Heero…”

“You would have done the same thing,” Heero kept going, talking over Trowa. “Don’t stand there and pretend you wouldn’t. I know you. You would have done the exact same thing.”

“And you would be saying exactly what I am.” 

Duo heard Heero’s sharp inhale, followed by the whisper of cloth sliding over skin. He listened to them breathe, each inhaling deeply. He could only imagine what they looked like, pressed together in a desperate hug, clinging to each other, reassuring themselves of the other’s existence. The dull ache in his chest began to grow, but he didn’t dare move, held in place by his fear of discovery.

“I was so scared,” Heero mumbled, his voice muffled and soft.

“So was I,” Trowa answered. His voice held a gentle inflection that made Duo’s heart ache, a tone reserved only for Heero.

The silence was broken by the distinct sound of kissing, and Duo felt his cheeks warm as the sighs and moans began to grow, the sound of rustling clothes and scuffling bodies. This was not how his nearly two days of hell was supposed to end.

A particularly loud moan nearly short circuited his brain.

“We can’t-  _ God, Trowa _ . We can’t here.” Heero groaned, his voice breathless.

Trowa hummed in response, doing something that caused Heero to gasp. “Why not? Everyone’s gone.” 

Duo’s let his eyes fall shut at the sound of his voice, the deep, raspy tone going straight to his groin. God, he was sure he was going to die here, sung to his grave by his crush’s bedroom voices.

Heero gasped again before speaking. “Duo- his bike-”

Trowa chuckled, causing Heero to cry out, a sound Duo almost echoed despite his ironbound control. “He’s probably asleep in his office again.” The sounds of kissing again echoed through the room. “We’re all alone.”

Those must have been the magic words. The already heated exchange turned into an all out frenzy, tempo set to their heavy pants, accented by gasps and broken moans. Belts jingled and zippers cut through the constant sound of movement, of skin sliding over skin. 

Duo was certain he was being punished. If OZ had used the sounds of them fucking as a means of torture, he would have sang to the heavens. He had never heard anything hotter in his life. After a particularly loud set of groans, he sank slowly to the floor, too turned on and tired to support himself. Duo pressed a hand to his mouth, desperate to hold back his own noise, and buried his other in his hair, tugging painfully at his roots. Anything to keep him grounded.

He was painfully hard, his erection trapped in his tight jeans. Now seemed like a ridiculous time to remember Quatre’s bemused comment about Duo wearing his jeans too tight, but he never agreed with the blond more than now. He didn’t dare try to free himself, or even fidget to create any friction. He wouldn’t be able to hold back.

The men of his dreams were not supposed to sound like porn stars. 

He forced himself to breathe evenly, the effort making his lungs burn and the ache grow. His chest felt tight, and he had difficulty drawing a full breath.

Then came the sound he long dreamt of, the very thing he fantasized about late at night, when he had nothing but his thoughts and guilty pleasures to keep him company. 

It sounded even better than he could have imagined. 

He never could have recreated the sounds that were pouring from their mouths, every moan, gasp, and cry echoing obscenely off the walls, drowning him in a cacophony of sex.

Duo was going to die here, either from lack of oxygen or blood, whichever came first, if they didn’t find him and kill him.

“Tro-  _ Trowa, _ I’m gonna-  _ God, I’m so close _ .”

”Come with me.”

Heero’s keen nearly sent Duo over the edge. Trowa gasped, crying out Heero’s name as he came. Duo clenched his fists, pulling savagely on his hair, forcing himself to remain perfectly still as his rock hard dick pulsed in time with his heartbeat. He was sure he’d explode if he so much as twitched.

The room filled with the sounds of panting as they fought to catch their breaths. They groaned in synch as the bench creaked, and the image of Trowa pulling out of an utterly wrecked Heero danced across Duo’s eyelids.

“Shall we take this elsewhere?” Trowa teased breathlessly. Heero chuckled, and the bench creaked again. 

“Please. I can still feel the imprint of that thing in my back.”

Trowa sniggered, and the wet sound of lips meeting again filled the room. “I can think of something better.”

“Then why are we still here, Barton?” Heero demanded. 

Clothes were donned, zippers zipped and belts buckled, then footsteps led away and out the door. Duo waited until the echo of the door closing faded before taking a gasping breath, his chest heaving as he fought to fill his lungs.

Jesus fucking Christ, that was the single hottest and most torturous moment of his life. It would be better if he could just catch his breath.

He rubbed at his aching chest, trying to alleviate some of the pain. His lungs burned, and a sharp pain shot through him when he inhaled too deeply. It felt like something was wrapped around his lungs, slowly squeezing. 

Duo’s breaths became gasping, and it was then he began to think something was seriously wrong. The edges of his vision began to blur, and he grit his teeth, determined not to pass out. He focused his breathing, measuring each inhale despite the tightness and pain, but just as he began to gain control, he felt something lodge in his throat, cutting off most of his airway.

He gasped and choked, coughing raggedly as he fought to dislodge the object. He could feel it making progress, then it suddenly stopped, lodged just at the back of his throat. He rolled to his side, coughing and retching. He was getting dizzy, his body weakening from the exertion.

_ I’m really going to die here, _ Duo thought suddenly. With a final heave and furious cough, he removed the obstruction, retching it onto the floor.

He only had a moment to glance at the soaked, white mound before he collapsed, eyes slipping shut as he fell unconscious.  


	2. Chapter 2

Duo blinked up at the sterile, white ceiling, his eyes focusing on the one block of color set directly over his head.

_ Congratulations on Not Dying! _

He wanted to groan. He recognized that sign. Duo had given it to Sally as a gag gift a couple years back after he had woken up in a similar position. Her sardonic greeting had been the inspiration for the slogan.

“Duo!”

A blond head came into view, relief flooding his features.

Duo smirked weakly at him. “Hey, Quat,” he croaked.

A cup of water, complete with straw, appeared in front of him. Duo accepted the drink, glancing up at Wufei, noting his worried expression. Finished, he relaxed back in the pillows, heaving a tired sigh.

“How do you feel?”

The question came from the remaining two ex pilots, standing across the bed, each wearing a pained and slightly guilty expression. Duo wasn’t sure he could ever look them in the eye again.

He closed his eyes, turning his attention inward. His throat felt sore and raw, no doubt from all the coughing and hacking he had to do to get whatever that was out. An experimental inhale revealed that while his chest felt tight, it wasn’t the constricting sensation that had caused him such difficulty that night. The aching in his chest had subsided to a dull discomfort, present, but easy to ignore.

He opened his eyes, glancing between them. “What happened?”

Wufei scowled fiercely, crossing his arms over his chest. “I found you in the locker room, unconscious on the floor, this morning.”

Duo blinked, one piece of the puzzle falling into place. That explained the guilty expressions.

Any further conversation was cut short as Sally walked into the room, her expression uncharacteristically somber, clutching a large folder in her hands. She brightened slightly upon seeing Duo awake, coming to the end of his bed.

“Glad to see you back among the living,” she said fondly. “How do you feel? Any pain? Discomfort?”

“It feels like something is sitting on my chest,” Duo admitted, reaching up to rub at it absently. “I can’t quite take a full breath.”

Sally nodded, her face falling back into the somber lines, though she seemed a little bewildered as well. “You were unresponsive when Wufei brought you in. You seemed to be having difficulty breathing, so we administered oxygen until you stabilized.” She hesitated, then pulled a radiograph out of the folder. She moved to set up the light box, explaining while she worked. 

“We decided to take x-rays to determine the cause of your issues, and we found… Well, we found this.” 

Quatre shifted aside, allowing Duo to study the illuminated picture of his chest, tracing the outline of his bones surrounding a large mass in the middle.

“What is it?” 

Sally hesitated again, sending red flags up in his head. “I don’t know,” she finally answered.

Duo blinked, both at her confession and frustrated tone. “What?”

Sally huffed and turned to him, her eyes almost accusing. “You just had a physical exam, not even two weeks ago,” she began, her tone almost implying the situation was entirely his fault. “There was nothing; you were perfectly healthy. Now?” 

She gestured angrily at the simple black and white image, her eyes never leaving Duo’s. “A mass this size is something you see in patients with particularly aggressive cancer. It doesn’t just happen overnight.”

“Well don’t look at me,” Duo scoffed. “You think I want that thing growing in my chest? Can you take it out?”

“We’ll have to run some tests to figure out exactly what it is, but if everything comes back okay, yes, we can remove it.” Sally quickly held up a hand as Duo sighed with relief, causing him to tense again. “But, I make no promises. Like I said, this sort of thing doesn’t just pop up in the span of a couple weeks. Until we know more, you’re going to have to stay close by.”

“I am not staying in the fucking hospital,” Duo replied flatly. “I’m going home.”

Sally waved off his threat. “Don’t tell me what I already know. You can go home, but you are not staying alone. You will have to have someone with you from now on, twenty four hours a day, until I can figure out what’s going on.”

“He’s welcome to stay with me,” Quatre jumped in. Duo smiled hesitantly at him, already dreading how the next week could play out. Quatre in ‘Mother Hen’ mode was its own special kind of torture.

“Unacceptable. He’s staying with us.”

Duo felt a jolt pass through him at the thought of staying in their house, with both Heero and Trowa fussing over him. 

The room went silent save for the steady beep of the heart monitor as all eyes fell on Heero. He glared defiantly at Quatre, daring him to comment. 

Instead, Quatre smiled sweetly, relinquishing the position easily. “Of course, you two live much closer to the hospital than I do.”

Heero narrowed his eyes at the strategist, but inclined his head in acknowledgement.

Duo watched the exchange with wide eyes and increasing irritation. “Whoa, hey, do I get a say in this? What if I don’t want to stay with any of you? What if I just want to go home!?” He glanced at Trowa, who had yet to say a word. He merely shrugged, a slight smirk on his face.

“Really? Who’s going to take care of my plants?” 

“You have one plant, Maxwell,” Wufei rolled his eyes. “I’ll take care of it for you, if you haven’t killed it already.”

“Hey, that thing’s in full bloom, thank you very much.” Duo snapped, then gasped lightly as his chest tightened briefly. He laid back carefully against the pillows, closing his eyes as he focused on long, steady breaths.

He could almost feel them closing in around him, accentuating the already suffocating pressure in his chest. 

“Duo? Are you alright?”

He opened his eyes, staring straight into Trowa’s own, the deep green displaying a level of concern he felt should be reserved for Heero, someone he loved. It was too much, and his chest tightened painfully in response, wrenching a gasp from him.

Duo curled onto his side, clutching his chest as the gasping breaths turns raspy. He could feel the beginnings of something in his throat again, setting off choking gasps and coughs as he fought to get it out.

He distantly heard Sally barking orders, of someone calling his name, then unfamiliar hands were pulling on his shoulders, forcing him to sit up as an oxygen mask was pressed against his face. The cool air only aggravated his already sore throat, and he pushed it away weakly, turning his head to the side. He could feel it pushing its way up his throat.

Duo shoved a nurse away, leaned over the edge of the bed, and retched, heaving coughs shaking his body as he expelled the obstruction. He collapsed over the bedrail, draping weakly on the cool metal as he fought for breath. He stared at the floor, studying the object hell bent on killing him.

It was a single white rose, in full bloom.

He swallowed thickly and felt something stuck in his mouth. He spit over the side, dropping a single petal to float next to the flower.

The silence in the room was deafening. 

Duo glanced over at Sally, finding her crouched next to him, staring in open astonishment at the perfect flower.

“Well, that explains one mystery.”

Attention snapped to Wufei, standing at the end of the bed, eyes locked on the flower. “There was a rose on the floor next to you. I didn’t think anything of it, other than being a bit out of place.”

Sally returned her attention to the flower, gesturing to the extra nurses to leave. “I can easily say I have never seen anything like this in my life.”

“It’s Hanahaki Disease,” Heero said, his voice oddly tight.

Duo pulled back, struggling to look at the normally stoic agent from his draped position. He felt Quatre pull him back gently, and he settled back with a sigh, nodding gratefully for his help. 

“Come again?” Sally demanded, rising to square off with Heero, placing herself between him and Duo.

Heero looked pained, his eyes darting between the rose and Duo, never quite looking him in the eye. “Hanahaki Disease,” he repeated. “It’s extremely rare, and only develops under particular circumstances.” He hesitated, glancing at Trowa for support, who looked just as curious and bewildered as the rest.

With a sigh, Heero turned back to the group, his attention focused on Duo, pinning him in place with the intensity of his stare.

“It only develops when the patient has powerful feelings about a person for an extended period of time, and only when said feelings are one-sided or unrequited,” he recited clinically. 

“You’re basically saying that because Duo is madly in love with someone who doesn’t love him back, he’s coughing up flowers.” Wufei summarized, disbelief coloring his voice.

“Impossible, it’s scientifically impossible,” Sally objected, glaring at Heero. “Flowers don’t grow inside people. Basic, common knowledge.”

Duo’s head was reeling, and not just because of the lack of oxygen. He felt Quatre’s grip on his shoulder tighten, knowing without looking the expression on his face. Duo had long ago confided in him about his long held love for the two pilots. He never imagined holding a flame for someone could become an actual disease.

“That’s not all of it,” Heero said slowly, sounding like the words were being dragged out of him. 

Sally stiffened, narrowing her eyes at him. “If you say it’s deadly, I swear to God, Yuy…”

Heero dropped his eyes, his face twisting in pain, an answer all its own.

“How?” Duo said, cutting Sally off as she inhaled, ready to unleash hell. 

“The mass in your chest are the flowers. They’ll continue to grow until they either smother you, causing death by suffocation, or the thorns pierce your organs, causing massive internal bleeding.” Heero glared at the floor, every line in his body radiating tension. Trowa wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close, his entire focus on comforting Heero.

Duo felt the stirrings of the flowers as he watched them together, and he quickly shut his eyes, blocking out the painfully beautiful image. 

It wasn’t fair. Love was supposed to be beautiful, a pure thing shared between people that made them happy, brought them some measure of peace. There was even a stupid saying about loving someone and letting them go. Hadn’t he done that already? He had watched from the sidelines for this long, aching for a taste of what they had, yet respected them enough to remain an outsider.

Hadn’t he suffered enough?

“Is there a treatment? A cure? Anything?” Sally demanded.

“There are a few options,” Heero answered, leaning into Trowa. “The only guaranteed effective cure is to surgically remove the flowers.”

“Great, perfect, that’s what I needed to know,” Sally moved to the foot of the bed, swaying around Wufei to grab Duo’s folder off the desk under the light box. 

“The only side effect is that the feelings are removed as well,” Heero continued, causing Sally to pause midstep. “The patient will never feel love again.”

“What other options does he have?” Quatre demanded, his grip tightening again on Duo’s shoulder. “Surgery is out of a question.”

“He has to confess,” Heero answered, “or the flowers will never stop growing.”

Duo began shaking his head slowly, the very idea beyond his comprehension. It was impossible. 

Sensing his inability to act, Quatre took control. “We’ll figure that out when the time comes. In the meantime, Duo needs someplace to stay, and since you two volunteered, I suggest you prepare a room for him.”

He dismissed the paired pilots, turning his attention to Sally, still reeling from the turn of events. “If you could get Duo’s discharge papers ready, we’ll be out of your hair as quickly as possible. I think we all need some time to process this new information.”

Sally blinked, shaking her head slightly before answering. “Right, yes, paperwork. I’ll have it sent up.” She looked at Duo, taking in his shocked expression, noting the slightly quicker pace of his breathing, each breath shallow. 

“Duo,” she called, catching his attention. She waited until he focused on her before continuing. “You will contact me the moment anything changes. Do you understand? The moment,” she emphasized, narrowing her eyes at him.

Duo nodded. “Yeah, got it. I’ve had you on speed dial since our last bar hop binge,” he joked weakly. Sally smiled in return, then left.

Wufei watched him a moment, then marched around the bed to stand beside him. “Do not hesitate to call me if you need something,” he said firmly, his face calm, though his eyes swirled with worry. 

“Just make sure you water her every Friday,” Duo answered lightly, smiling gratefully up at him. Despite his grumbling, the two had grown quite close, taking time every Friday after work for their ‘Rant Hour’. Wufei nodded, then turned and left as well.

Just before the door closed, a pair of nurses swept into the room, one carrying a clipboard while the other pushed a wheelchair. Quatre quickly stepped forward to intercept them, leaving Duo to sit alone on the bed, swaying slightly in place.

All around him, the room was a rush of movement, but through it all, Heero’s eyes remained locked with Duo’s, a myriad of emotions crossing his face, more open than he’d ever seen.

“Who is it, Duo? Who are you so willing to die for?”

If only he could say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Horray for making up hospital procedures on the fly, because I know Jack and squat about it. I apologize to all those in the medical field.
> 
> Also, I have no idea where you would see a mass that size, that quickly, so... go me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wut?! Regular updates? What is this witchcraft? 
> 
> Anyway, the Block Party may be over, but this fic don't stop!

To say the car ride was tense would be an understatement. The air was almost charged with unspoken questions. He knew they wanted to ask, wanted to figure out who the mystery person was, but they also knew him. Any attempts to pry information out of him would end with a brick wall and the threat of bodily harm, health issues or not. 

Duo shifted, feeling the familiar weight of his braid slide against his back. He reached behind his head, feeling the top of the braid, then pulled the length over his shoulder. He eyed the neat plait with surprise. “Who braided my hair?”

The simple question broke the tension in the car, replacing it with something akin to sheepish guilt. Heero twisted in his seat enough to catch his eye. 

“I did. I… I hope you don’t mind.”

Duo felt a surge of affection for his thoughtful gesture, and shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Thanks.”

Heero nodded once, a light blush coloring his cheeks, then turned back around.

They stopped by his apartment long enough to grab a few changes of clothes and toiletries, then continued on to their house, making the ten minute drive in silence.

Trowa and Heero lived in a townhouse, a fact that Duo was both parts hating and dreading. He had been inside twice before, and both had been against his will. Quatre had long ago insisted on having a monthly get together, which quickly evolved into having dinner, as it was the easiest thing they all agreed upon. Early on, it meant meeting up at a local restaurant. Now that they had each settled into their new, more domesticated lives, it eventually shifted to meeting at someone’s home or apartment.

The arrangements had worked out fine, until Trowa announced he was with Heero, and they were moving into a house together. 

The first dinner after they moved in had tested the limits of Duo’s jokester persona. Quatre had resorted to bodily harm to get him to attend, and in the end, had been the one to ferry him home after he had consumed far more alcohol than intended.

Duo loved their home. The emotional baggage he could do without, but their home was everything he would want in a house, minus the monthly payments. Preventer’s salary or not, he still couldn’t bring himself to pay that much for a space to hold his stuff. 

No, he was dreading his stay for one reason alone: stairs. 

He had been allowed to wander the last time he had visited. He knew exactly how many stairs were in their home, from the ground floor basement/garage combo, to the quaint living and dining room, up to the pair of quest rooms, one converted into an office space, and finally, the trek to their master suite, complete with balcony for a view of the city.

It was a lot, AKA more than he wanted to deal with right now.

Trowa pulled them into the garage, and the group filed out, Heero grabbing Duo’s bag and heading up the stairs before he could protest.

Duo pouted for a moment, then followed, his pace a tad more sedate, Trowa bringing up the rear. 

He entered the cozy living room, glancing over the space while Trowa moved around him. “Feel free to make yourself comfortable. Are you hungry?”

Duo made his way to the couch, sinking into the cushions with a sigh. “A little, nothing fancy though.”

Just as Trowa disappeared into the adjoining kitchen, Heero descended the stairs empty handed. “I put your things in the guest room. The bedding is clean.”

Duo blinked at him. He never imagined hearing those words from Heero would sound so… odd. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Heero nodded, then left to join Trowa in the kitchen, leaving Duo to process the recent turn of events in relative privacy. He could hear them conversing quietly, but couldn’t quite make out the words. It was easy enough to assume they were talking about him.

Duo sighed and relaxed back into the cushions, letting his head rest limply against the back. This was going to be harder than he thought. He should have taken Quatre up on his initial offer, protested when Heero had spoken up, but he had been too preoccupied with everything to stop and think.

He knew what Quatre was playing at; he knew exactly how he felt about the couple. Duo knew he was using this as a sign to get his act together, spend some time with Heero and Trowa, and finally confess his feelings. Quatre had been pushing for it for a long time; it had never been a matter of life and death though.

But this? It was hard enough to watch them interact at work or group outings. They had an obvious chemistry, each complimenting and supporting the other with ease. They had always been comfortable together, even during the war. Peace had only allowed them to pursue that familiarity without the threat of death hurrying things along.

All Duo could do was watch. He had tried, oh boy, had he tried. Flirting was an art, and Duo was a master. He used every trick in the book to gain their attentions, but either they didn’t understand his intentions, namely Heero, or clearly weren’t interested, if Trowa laughing him off was to be believed.

He inhaled slowly, groaning when a new problem became apparent.

Everything smelled like them. How the hell was he supposed to sleep?

Any further angsting was cut short with the sound of the couple returning. Trowa set a plate of sandwiches on the table, while Heero set down cups of water. 

“It’s just ham and cheese, if that’s alright,” Trowa said as he settled into the overstuffed recliner on Duo’s right. 

“Sounds perfect,” Duo eagerly grabbed a half, biting into it with an appreciative moan. He hadn’t eaten anything substantial since the op, if MREs counted as food.

The trio ate in comfortable silence, Heero claiming the remaining overstuffed chair, leaving Duo the couch. 

Duo was halfway through his sandwich when Heero spoke. “You’ve been put on medical leave until further notice.”

Duo paused midbite, caught off guard by the announcement. He wasn’t surprised; in fact had been expecting it. He had actually forgotten to even check. “Thanks for the heads up.”

“Trowa and I have requested a rotating schedule so someone can be here with you,” Heero continued. “He will remain here while I go in tomorrow, then we’ll switch each day after.”

Duo sat up quickly, sandwich forgotten. “Wait, you don’t have to change up your schedules like that,” he protested.

Heero blinked at him. “Why not? Sally clearly stated you were not to be unsupervised at any point during your illness. The only way we can do that is by having one person remain here.” 

Duo hated when he sounded so reasonable. He sighed, setting off a twinge in his chest. He rubbed at his absently as he decidedly did not pout.

“Are you alright?” Trowa leaned over, eyeing the spot where Duo’s hand lay.

Duo waved him off. “I’m fine, just a bit of an ache.”

He leaned back in his seat, clearly unconvinced.

“Are you sure that’s okay?” Duo pressed, his worry of becoming a burden overriding his appreciation. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Heero smiled at him, just a slight quirk at the corners, but it was enough to set his heart racing.

And with it came the pain.

He coughed sharply, a burst of petals escaping past his hand. They fluttered a moment before landing lightly in his lap. He stared at them a moment, breathing carefully, then looked up at his hosts.

Their faces were a mix of apprehension and panic. They clearly expected him to keel over at any moment.

It was too much.

Duo began to chuckle, then he laughed outright, his lungs straining from the effort, but he couldn’t stop. His laughs quickly dissolved into a coughing fit, prompting Heero to step around the coffee table while Trowa leaned forward again, arms out ready to catch him. Duo caught a glimpse of their expressions, now set in full panic mode, and clutched his stomach as another wave of laughter wracked his body.

“You- you guys need t-to stop!” He choked out between breaths. “You’re killing me!”

“Stop what?” Heero demanded, his voice a touch desperate. “What are we doing?”

Duo shook his head, wiping tears away as he fought for breath, coughing up a petal here and there. “I’m not going to roll over and die right this second.”

Trowa snorted and lowered his arms, but he remained perched on the edge of his seat. “Could have fooled us.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve got some time,” Duo replied breathlessly. It felt good to finally laugh about something, even as his chest reminded him otherwise. He was going to be sore for a while.

With a slow, heaving sigh, he flopped sideways on the couch, letting his limbs hang loosely over the side as he looked up through his bangs at Heero. “I’m exhausted.”

Heero swallowed audibly. “Your bed is ready upstairs.”

Duo grinned at him, rising in one fluid motion and stretched. “Great. Thanks again for this. I’m sorry to impose.”

Trowa rose with him and followed him to the stairs. “You’re not imposing. You would do the same for any of us.” 

Just as he reached for the banister, Duo felt something cup his forearm.

Duo eyed the hand under his arm, his jaw clenched against his quickly growing irritation. “Trowa, you’re a smart guy, right?” He looked up at him, watching him blink in confusion.

“Yes?” Trowa answered cautiously.

“You weigh, what, one fifty, one fifty five?”

Trowa now wore a slight frown, his brows pinched. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Duo ignored his question. “What do you think the average weight is for a human hand?”

“Duo, what the-“

“Fully grown, of course,” Duo cut in sweetly, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Trowa swallowed, considering his answer. “On average, half a pound to a pound, I’d imagine.”

Duo nodded thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving Trowa’s. “For the sake of argument, let’s round it to an even pound. So let’s say you weigh a buck fifty five, and suddenly you weigh a buck fifty four, what would you say happened?”

Trowa quickly removed his hand, earning a humorless smirk from Duo. “Good boy. Good night.”

He climbed the stairs slowly, measuring each step with equally measured breaths. The last thing he needed was for Trowa to see him struggle after he had practically told him to fuck off. He crested the top with a tiny sigh of relief. He paused long enough to close the door of his room, then collapsed face first on the bed, sinking into the covers.

He hated the tightness in his chest. He hated that he was out of breath just from climbing the stairs. And he especially hated how he coughed up petals and rose buds whenever either of them so much as looked at him. 

How to make friends and get laid: regurgitate a flower to give to the ones you love.

He hated that it was a physical manifestation of his feelings. Up until now, no one knew he had been pining away for someone, let alone two people. Quatre knew, but Duo confided in him for everything. In the office, he had gained a reputation of being a bit of a tease, flirting outrageously with anyone with two legs, but never following through. The flirting used to drive Wufei crazy, a fact Duo discovered in great detail during one of their ‘Rant Hour’s, but a simple statement of fact, that no, he had not slept with anyone, eased his judgments.

Now they knew why. 

Duo shoved the depressing thoughts aside, instead focusing on gathering the willpower to get up and prepare for bed. He was already so relaxed, and the bed was softer than he expected, it would be a shame to move and ruin it.

Besides, it wasn’t as though he needed to be anywhere tomorrow. He didn’t have anyone to impress either.

With a bitter laugh at his own joke, Duo rolled enough to lie entirely on the bed, and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank each and every one of you for reading, leaving kudos and such amazing comments. You guys really light up my day. <3

Duo woke the next morning sore and disoriented. The sun was definitely coming from the wrong direction, cutting across his eyes in the worst way. He rolled away with a groan, burying himself further into the covers, inhaling a maddening familiar scent.

He tensed as recent events replayed in his mind, earning another groan for an entirely different reason. This must be a special kind of hell.

Duo tried to inhale, but gasped sharply as a pinprick of pain shot through his chest. He rolled onto his back, glancing down, expecting blood. He pushed his shirt up to bunch under his chin, displaying his unmarred skin. He ran his hand over his chest, rubbing at the spot that throbbed just beneath the surface, an echo of the earlier jolt.

He frowned, unsure of what to make of the incident. He knew it was connected to the vines somehow, but the pain had felt like he had been stabbed with a large needle. He should be bleeding, but his skin was unbroken. Which meant it was possibly bleeding on the inside.

Duo bit his lip, forcing himself to breathe slowly against the rising panic. He needed to be calm; panicking would only exacerbate the problem. The pain was already fading, his memory of it the only indication it had happened at all. It was possible he had shifted just right in his sleep, putting pressure on the intrusions in such a way that the release of said pressure caused the spike.

He inhaled slowly, bracing for any additional pain, but nothing came. He exhaled, pushing his panic away in the process.

He was okay. Aside from having to remain the same house as the two people who were the root of his obsessive love and consequently, his inability to confess said love, he was fine.

With that happy thought, Duo fumbled out of bed, going through his morning routine on autopilot. He skipped taking a shower, instead brushing and rebraiding his hair before heading downstairs. Today was Trowa’s day to babysit; he wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

It certainly wasn’t Trowa in an apron.

Duo blinked at the strange image, unsure of what to make of it. That definitely couldn’t be Trowa standing in the doorway of the kitchen, holding a plate of waffles in one hand, spatula in the other, and wearing an apron that read “I will see your SARCASM and raise you some SASS”.

“Are you just going to stand there all morning or is this a new symptom of your disease?”

Duo snapped out of his staring, descending the final step. He made a beeline for the waffles, humming in appreciation when Trowa handed them over.

“Butter and syrup are on the table,” Trowa supplied, waving his spatula at the dining room table. “Coffee?”

Duo sat down, grateful for the homemade meal. “Yeah, that’d be great.”

Trowa came back with the pot and cups, sitting across the table to prepare his own mug. The pair sat in comfortable silence. Duo finished his breakfast, holding the warm mug between his hands as he leaned back with a sigh.

“I like your apron,” he said, glancing at Trowa over the rim of his mug.

Trowa snorted, plucking at the edge of the apron as he read it upside down. “You don’t remember getting this for me?”

Duo blinked, staring at the alternating black and red lines of text, then snorted out a laugh. “Oh my god, you mean the Secret Santa bullshit Quatre had us do? I forgot all about that!”

Trowa smirked, taking a sip of his coffee. “You told me now I’ll have something to wear during Poker Night.”

Duo laughed lightly, the constant tightness making it difficult to fully express himself. “It suits you. I’m glad you still have it.”

“It’s my favorite.” Trowa said softly. Duo’s breath caught in his throat, locked in place by the fond expression on Trowa’s face. He coughed suddenly, breaking the mood. Duo grimaced as a tuft of petals burst from his mouth, causing him to blush furiously.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, snatching the petals out of the air. Trowa grabbed one before Duo could reach it, rubbing the delicate petal between two fingers.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Trowa said, his gaze locked on the velvety white flower. Duo swallowed thickly and chased it down with a gulp of coffee. Trowa rose suddenly, tucking the petal into his pocket.

“All finished? I’ll clean up.”

Duo grabbed his plate and mug, holding them away from Trowa’s offered hand. “Nope, no way. You cooked, I’ll clean.”

Trowa raised an eyebrow at him, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. “Are you sure? It’s no problem.”

Duo glared at him, tossing his chin at the door. “Go do whatever it is you do. I’ll clean up. It’s only fair.”

Trowa shook his head and shrugged. “Alright, fine, you win.” He disappeared into the kitchen, coming back long enough to help Duo gather the dishes, then left before inciting Duo’s wrath.

Duo absently washed the dishes, Trowa’s simple confession replaying in his head. A few years ago, Quatre had latched onto the idea of having a Secret Santa exchange between the former pilots, just for the fun of it, so he claimed. Duo had pulled Trowa’s name, and had struggled to find a suitable gift for him until the night before, spotting the snarky apron in the window of a cooking store. Considering their weekly poker games usually held a certain amount of sarcastic banter, he bought it immediately, satisfied Trowa would get the joke.

Duo blinked when he reached for another dish, grabbing air instead. He quickly dried and put away the plates and mugs. He stood at the sink a few minutes longer, mentally prepping himself for a long day ahead.

So far so good, he thought. Trowa hadn’t been overly cautious or treated him any differently than normal. Aside from tossing a mouthful of petals all over the table, it had been a relatively normal morning. As long as the rest of the day progressed the same way, he would be fine.

With a firm nod to himself, and equally firm determination, Duo ventured into the living room.

And froze.

The furniture had been pushed to the far side of the room, leaving an open area where Trowa was doing pushups, his eyes fixed on the floor as he smoothly rose and fell. The muscles of his arms bulged and flexed with each motion, his back straining and shifting under his muscle shirt.

Duo held his breath, transfixed by the powerful movements, the way sweat gathered and rolled down his back, across his shoulders, dripping from his chin-

“You’d tell me if it was a new symptom, right?”

Duo blushed again, having been caught staring for a second time. Trowa had stopped at the top of his rep, watching Duo with a slight smirk on his face.

“Do you always drip sweat all over your living room floor, or is that new thing?” Duo asked with a huff, looking away as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Trowa rose smoothly, grabbing a towel off the back of the chair. Duo pointedly focused on the wall, ignoring the way he wiped the gathered sweat off his face and chest.

“I’d say it’s a new thing, since I can’t go to the gym today.”

Duo immediately felt guilty, clenching his fists in his sleeves. It must have shown on his face, as Trowa quickly spoke up again.

“It’s not your fault, just unfortunate circumstances.”

It didn’t ease Duo’s conscious. It was just another sacrifice his friends were making on his behalf.

Trowa watched him closely, a thoughtful look on his face. “Do you want to spar?”

Duo looked at him in surprise. “Really? You’d do that?”

Trowa shrugged, hands gripping either end of the towel around his neck. “Sure. I’m sure you’re going stir crazy, and as long as it doesn’t get too intense, it should be alright. But,” he said firmly, eyes narrowed at Duo, “you have to stop if it gets to be too much, got it?”

Duo nodded, letting his excitement show plainly on his face. The last thing he wanted was to be treated like a porcelain doll, on the verge of breaking if he did anything strenuous.

The pair faced off on the makeshift arena. Duo bounced in place and stretched lightly, warming up as Trowa tossed aside the towel, waiting patiently for the go ahead. Finally ready, Duo settled into a defensive stance, watching Trowa shift into a similar position.

The two stared off before acting, exchanging strikes and blocks, each meeting the other blow for blow. They backed off simultaneously, Duo grimacing as he focused his breathing, already slightly winded from the short exchange.

“Still good?” Trowa asked, hands at the ready, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet.

Duo grinned sharply, sensing the unspoken challenge in his words. “I’m not made of flowers, Barton. Let’s go.”

The next exchange was a flurry of blows, each one holding nothing back. Duo could feel himself falling behind, exhaustion quickly setting in, cutting into his stamina. He blocked a swing aimed for his shoulder, but missed the following sweep, knocking him off his feet.

Duo lay on the ground spread eagle as he fought for breath, eyes closed as he rested. “Okay,” he said between breaths. “That wasn’t bad.”

He heard Trowa snort and felt the floor tremor slightly as Trowa stepped closer. Duo opened his eyes as Trowa leaned over, his hand outstretched in a peace offering.

Duo eyed the offered hand, a plan forming in his mind, then heaved his hand up, clasping it tightly. “Thanks.”

Trowa nodded and leaned back, ready to pull Duo to his feet. Duo let himself be pulled off the ground, then he struck.

He went boneless, pulling hard on Trowa, upsetting his balance. With a shout of surprise, Trowa fell to the ground, twisting enough to fall on his side, and Duo used the momentum to gain the upper hand, rolling on top of him. He quickly pulled Trowa’s arms over his head, a hand on each wrist to pin them in place. Trowa twisted, laying flat on his back, held in place by Duo’s weight and legs planted on either side of his hips.

Duo tossed a smug grin at the startled man. “Pinned ya.”

Trowa smirked in return, seemingly unconcerned by his position. With a surge of strength, he upset Duo’s balance, breaking his hold. He rolled them over, matching the position Duo held over him just a moment ago.

Trowa leaned in close, settling his weight on Duo’s pelvis, his smirk taking on a mischievous edge as Duo’s face began to burn.

Duo watched with wide eyes, chest heaving for entirely different reasons as Trowa closed the distance between them. Just as Trowa drew near, he tipped his head to the side, sliding his lips lightly across his cheek to his ear.

“I like this position better." Hot breath washed over him, forcing Duo to swallow thickly against the urge to moan, the sensation shooting straight to his groin. He remained still, afraid to even twitch against the perfect weight across his hips.

Before he could formulate a response, Trowa rolled gracefully to his feet, stretching his arms above his head with a sigh of satisfaction. He turned back to Duo, who lay stunned on the floor.

“I’d offer you a hand up, but,” Trowa shrugged. “I’ll be in the shower.”

Duo swallowed and nodded. “Yeah,” he croaked. “Sounds good.”

He waited until the sound of footsteps faded, then rolled on his side, burying his face in his hands and groaned dramatically. What was _that_? How was he supposed to look at Trowa again when all he could think about was the feel of his body against his, the way his fingers wrapped around his wrists, the weight of his hips against his own.

He needed a cold shower, fast.

Duo rose with considerably less grace, his limbs heavy with fatigue. He dragged himself up the stairs, cursing his plight with each step. They hadn’t even sparred for ten minutes, yet he felt like he had gone three rounds in a knock-out drag-out fight. Combined with the raging reminder that was his libido, he wasn’t sure how he would make it to the bathroom.

He finally made it to his room, closing the door with a tired sigh. He leaned against it for a moment, then gathered a change of clothes and headed for the bathroom, shedding his clothes in the process.

He adjusted the temperature of the shower, replaying the exchange in his head.

He wasn’t even going to try to lie to himself. Trowa’s body against his had felt wonderful. The short interaction was easily enough to fuel his wet dreams for the rest of his life, however long it may be. He was either dead from the flowers, or Heero was going to kill him.

Duo clenched his eyes shut as guilt slammed into his chest. God, here he was getting fresh with Trowa when Heero had selflessly opened his home to him. This was how he repaid him?

The all too familiar pressure surged in his chest, causing Duo to cough violently as a familiar bulk pushed against his throat. He fell to his knees as he hacked and spit, his abs aching as they strained with each movement.

He sucked in a breath and retched, spitting the large bloom into his hand. He fell to the side, sitting heavily on the floor as he fought to catch his breath.

Duo leaned bonelessly against the tub, eyeing the bloom clutched in his weak grip. This one was different, a sign he could no longer ignore.

The perfectly white petals were stained red at the tips, the color fading through pink back to white at the base.

The vines now had thorns.

Duo sighed heavily, letting his head loll back against the tub’s edge, closing his eyes as he breathed. He inhaled slowly, testing the limits of his lungs. He felt the confines of the vines, and inhaled further, pushing against the obstructions. Focused, sharp pains prickled across his chest, and he exhaled in time, forcing himself to remain calm.

For the time being, they weren’t doing any damage, simply touching the edge of his lungs. He was sure the current blood resulted from his earlier impromptu wrestling match.

He groaned at the memory, his body stirring as he remembered the way Trowa had felt against him, his body sliding and moving in tandem, the way his harsh breaths had sounded so close to his ear, the breath hot against his neck. Regardless of the consequences, he couldn’t forget the feeling.

He palmed his growing erection, breath stuttering with the mix of relief and frustration. He needed some sort of release, but any exertion would leave him breathless and dangerously close to passing out. The last thing he needed was for one of them to walk in on him, unconscious and sporting a hard-on.

By force of will, he removed his hand, leaning up slowly to drop the rose into the toilet. He watched it float sedately in the water, then flushed the evidence away.


	5. Chapter 5

Compared to the morning, Duo’s afternoon was far more sedate, almost boring. 

He ended up taking a long shower, starting with a quick, cold spritz to calm his raging hormones, then a long hot soak, taking his time to care for his hair.

Deciding he had nothing better to do, he spent extra time brushing and blow drying his hair, until it lay in a thick sheet of chestnut down his back. He ran his fingers through it, enjoying the feel of finally having clean hair. He debated briefly about leaving it down, but decided to tie it back in a loose braid, just enough to keep it from tangling. Duo sectioned it off, quickly weaving a loose plait, then hunched over with a sigh.

He couldn’t keep avoiding it. At some point, he would have to go downstairs and face Trowa. 

Duo sat on the bed, his mind telling him to move, but his body unwilling to actually do it. The debate was ended by a familiar chirping, setting off a scavenger hunt through the room as Duo scrambled to find his phone.

He fished it out from one of the pockets of his duffle, answering the call before it could skip to voicemail.

“Hello?” 

“Are you still dying?”

Duo huffed a laugh, flopping back on the bed before answering Wufei’s blunt question. “Yes?”

An exasperated sigh cut across the connection, and Duo could almost hear the sound of his eyes rolling in the background. “Am I going to have to break out the truth serum?”

Duo grinned at the ceiling. “I don’t know. You may have to clear it with my doctor first.”

“I doubt that will be a problem, seeing as she would be the one writing the prescription,” Wufei quipped back easily.

Duo hummed, closing his eyes as he settled in for the conversation. 

“Honestly Duo, this is…” Wufei hesitated, and Duo felt a jolt of guilt. “It’s serious now.”

“I know,” Duo answered somberly, because he really did know. He understood the stakes; the flowers made that abundantly clear.

Wufei growled suddenly, his frustration taking over. “You’re being a stubborn fool! At this point, what is the worst that can happen? They say no?”

“The worst that can happen?” Duo scoffed. “The worst that can happen is that I lose them. Forever.”

“If you do this, we’ll lose you forever,” Wufei said, his voice tightly controlled. 

“I’d rather die with their friendship than live forever without them!” 

“You’ll leave us with  _ nothing _ !” Wufei roared, stunning Duo into silence. “How can you be so selfish that you can’t even see beyond them? What about the rest of us? Do we not matter to you at all?”

Duo gaped at the ceiling, his mouth moving in silence before the words came. “I- Wufei, I- Of course I care about you.” Duo clenched his jaw against the rising tide, his throat tightening. “I care about you, and Quatre, and Sally, Hilde. But I can’t-“ He choked on a sob, clenching his eyes shut. “I can’t lose them.”

He heard Wufei heave a heavy sigh. “They don’t deserve you,” he finally said, his voice subdued. “Can you promise me something?”

Duo sniffled, clearing his throat before answering. “What is it?”

“Can you try? Just once, even if it takes everything in you, can you please just try?” Duo had never heard Wufei sound so raw, so open before. He grabbed the sheets with his free hand, clenching them tightly as he spoke.

“I’ll try.”

Wufei let out a shaky breath, taking a moment to regain his composure. “Good. I’ll hold you to that.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

“Take care, Duo.”

“Yeah, you too, ‘Fei.”

Duo released his grip on the phone, letting it fall onto the pillow next to his head. Wufei was right; he was always right. He was being selfish, focusing all his attention on two people when he had a small battalion of friends who cared just as much. It wasn’t fair to them. 

Duo scrubbed his face with his hands, clearing away the evidence of his distress. He sighed and closed his eyes. “Heero, Trowa, I have something to say,” he stated to the ceiling, speaking slowly against the sudden racing of his pulse. 

“I-“ Duo paused, fear and embarrassment warring in his throat, choking his words. He opened his mouth again, determined to fight through his insecurities, but stopped when a new emotion reared its head. He felt ridiculous, lying on the bed like a lovesick teenager, confessing his deepest secrets to an empty room and blank ceiling. 

He huffed angrily, rolling to his feet. He was a grown fucking man, and he was going to act like one. 

Duo ripped open the door, walking confidently down the stairs despite his overactive mind reminding him what a bad idea this was with every step. When he reached the bottom, he found the living room had been returned to its original layout, with Trowa sprawled on the couch as he watched TV.

He looked up just as Duo rounded the banister, smiling as he shifted on the couch. Duo’s heart clenched as his soft expression, and he viciously squashed the feeling into submission.

“Feeling better?”

Duo waved off the silent offer, instead curling up in the closest recliner. “Yeah, it felt nice to take a real shower.”

Trowa settled back in the cushions, propping his head on his fist as he stretched out. “I assumed taking care of all that hair would take a while, but,” he trailed off with a smirk. “I almost thought you had drowned.”

“Your concern is touching,” Duo replied with a sniff. “I’m allowed to pamper myself every now and then.”

Trowa hummed, his gaze calculating for a moment before turning his attention back to the TV. 

“What are you watching?” Duo frowned at the screen as a group of people in medieval garb argued around a table. 

“Game of Thrones.”

“What’s it about?”

Trowa stilled, causing Duo to tense in response. “You’ve never watched Game of Thrones?”

Duo blinked at the softly spoken question, sensing the underlying disbelief and hint of judgment. “No?”

Trowa snatched the remote off the coffee table, quickly navigating through the menus. “Unacceptable. We’re going to fix that.”

Duo relaxed back in his seat as Trowa set up the first episode, smiling lightly to himself as he watched. Trowa’s face was set with a strange determination, as though he had found an injustice in the world that needed to be corrected. It was clearly an exaggeration on Duo’s behalf, but he couldn’t help the bubble of warmth that grew in his chest at the sight. Trowa was making an effort to share something he believed was important with him, even if said thing was an old TV show.

Duo reluctantly turned his attention to the screen as the opening scene started. Trowa laid the remote on the table, then headed for the kitchen.

“I thought you were going to watch this with me,” Duo called after him.

“We can’t watch without popcorn,” Trowa replied, disappearing from view. Duo shook his head and went back to watching, raising an eyebrow as a young girl with glowing blue eyes stared at a man in black, scaring the shit out of him as he took off running.

Trowa returned shortly with two large bowls of popcorn, handing one to Duo as he reclaimed his position on the couch.

It was how Heero found them hours later, bowls long ago emptied and set aside, with Duo arguing passionately for the death of a certain blond prince to an extremely amused Trowa. He shed his coat, hanging it on an empty peg as he dropped his keys on the side table.

“I thought you were further along in the series,” he said, walking up behind the couch.

“Duo hasn’t seen any of the episodes,” Trowa answered, pushing himself up for a kiss as Heero leaned over the back.

“You’ve got a long way to go,” Heero told Duo, shoving playfully at his head as he walked by. Duo swatted him away, then grabbed his discarded bowl and pushed it in his direction.

“Then be helpful for once and get us more popcorn!”

Heero chuckled, grabbing his bowl and Trowa’s to take to the kitchen. Trowa got up as well, citing drinks as Duo waved in reply, his attention focused on the events unfolding on the screen.

The pair returned shortly with refreshments in tow and settled on the couch, sharing the second popcorn bowl with only minimal shoving.

The atmosphere was comfortable, familiar. Duo found himself more relaxed than he had been in… well, longer than he wanted to remember. He wanted to hold on to the feeling, stretch the evening as long as possible, but he could feel his eyelids getting heavy. He had curled up into the recliner, tucking himself into the cushions, and the position was just right for him to lean his head back, letting his eyes fall closed for just a moment…

Duo woke with a start when he felt hands sliding underneath him. He blinked blearily at Heero, watching as he was easily lifted and pulled against a warm, firm chest.

Heero noticed his blank stare and grinned. “You must be really out of it if you’re not protesting,” he said fondly.

“Hm, nah,” Duo mumbled, snuggling against his chest. “Kinda nice.”

He felt more than heard Heero’s chuckle as he closed his eyes, tracking their progress with each muffled step.

After what felt like forever, and not long enough, he was lowered into his bed, the sheets already turned down. Duo rolled to the side, mumbling his thanks to Trowa as he tucked the blankets around him.

“G’night,” Duo murmured into his pillow, eyes already falling closed.

“Good night, Duo.”

He sighed into the cool sheets, settling in for sleep as the door clicked shut. He could get used to this.

After all, he was allowed to dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing domestic life is so difficult for me. It always seems like it would be too boring or too mundane, so I pulled some inspiration from my own experiences. I spent this past weekend hanging with a couple friends marathoning season 7 of Game of Thrones. Good times.


	6. Chapter 6

By now, Duo had a basic morning routine. Despite the strange surroundings, it was comforting to draw on basic habits as a means to ground himself.

As he went through the motions, he speculated on how the day would progress. Yesterday had upended many of the assumption he had about how Trowa and Heero lived day to day, the most shocking of which being the cooking.

Duo frowned and shook his head. Of course someone cooked, but he was sure he could have never imagined Trowa wearing an apron, even if someone supplied him with a vivid description. Having one assumption dispelled, Duo was hesitant to set any expectations for a day in Heero’s company.

For all he knew, he did flower arranging. Duo chuckled suddenly; he could even supply the flowers. He rose and stretched, still snickering from his morbid joke. Better keep that one to himself.

Duo meandered downstairs and found an empty living room. There were no smells of cooking coming from the kitchen, dashing Duo’s faint hope of a warm breakfast. He glanced around inside, finding it too was empty, then made his way to the dining room.

Heero sat at the table, an empty bowl at his elbow, one hand clutching a mug of coffee while the other held a tablet.

“Good morning,” Duo chirped, leaning against the doorframe.

Heero glanced up and grunted. “Good morning.”

“Any chance I could grab some breakfast?”

“The cereal is in the pantry, bowls are in the cabinet above the dishwasher,” Heero rattled off, returning to his tablet.

Duo huffed a laugh as he returned to the kitchen. That was the reception he had been expecting day one.

He quickly grabbed the cereal from the pantry, having a choice between either cardboard or slightly sweetened cardboard. It was no wonder why Trowa cooked breakfast.

Then came a new problem.   

Duo frowned at the cabinets, debating how to reach the bowl. In his short stay with the couple, it was clear that Trowa did most of the cooking, thus he had free reign to put utensils in places that would inconvenience anyone shorter.

He could ask for help… Or he could continue to be the stubborn ass that he was, and get it himself.

So he stretched, pushing up on his toes to just touch the bowl, feeling the strain press the budding thorns into his skin. He grit his teeth and strained, catching the lip. With a triumphant smile, he pulled it back with a lurch, sending it tumbling off the shelf. Duo scrambled to catch it, losing his balance with a shout.

A warm body pressed against his back, pinning him to the counter as one hand caught the bowl, the other wrapping around his waist.

Duo flushed from head to toe. He could practically feel Heero’s heartbeat against his back, every plane of his body slotting perfectly against his own.

“You could have asked for help,” Heero murmured into his ear, his warm breath washing over Duo’s skin.

Duo gasped, the words going straight to his groin. While he had never experimented with restraints as a form of foreplay before, he was quickly discovering it was an incredible turn on. He was going to have a problem if Heero asked him to turn around.

He inhaled deeply, bracing for pain, but none came. Instead, the vines loosened their grip, allowing him a moment to breathe properly.

“I, um,” Duo swallowed thickly, losing his train of thought as Heero shifted, moving his body against Duo’s. He set the bowl on the counter and laid his hands on his shoulders.

“You’ll what?” Heero’s voice was pure sin, a mix of amusement and sexy that Duo was quickly becoming addicted to.

“I’ll- I’ll ask f-for help,” Duo stammered, swallowing back a moan when Heero slid his hands down his arms. He cupped the back of Duo’s hands, guiding them to fold around the bowl.

“Next time,” Heero whispered, then in a blink, disappeared.

Duo remained in place, his hips pressed against the sharp edge of the counter, hands tightly gripping the bowl, his eyes staring blankly at the backsplash. His chest heaved as he fought to control his raging emotions, for once, able to breathe properly. Duo was grateful for the relief, however it was delivered.

And delivered it was, in a manner that would easily have him begging for a repeat performance. Duo’s mind raced in time with his heart, questions piling up, each demanding an answer.

This shouldn’t have happened. This never should have happened, especially in their home. Duo was not going be the one to come between them.

Guilt crashed through him, bringing with it the familiar constriction in his chest, quickly shortening his breaths. He coughed briefly, expelling a few petals that floated gently onto the counter, mocking him, reminding him why he was there in the first place.

That little incident had been a fluke. The flowers were the truth.

Duo grimaced at the pink petals, quickly gathering them to wash down the sink. After double checking that none had escaped their watery doom, he prepared his bowl of cereal, and mentally bracing himself to sit at the table with Heero.

Only to find he had already left.

Duo blinked at the empty chairs, relieved and disappointed. Despite the earlier incident, or perhaps because of it, he had been looking forward to a bit of company. He sighed and sat down, chewing absently as a funk fell over him.

Maybe this was how the day was going to be; two people locked in a house without ever speaking or meeting. Duo was sure Heero had work he had brought home; it was the whole reason they had an office. Combined with Heero’s unholy devotion to his work, Duo was convinced he wasn’t going to see him the rest of the day.

Which meant it was going to be very long and very boring.

Duo finished off his cereal and cleaned up, absently going over the things he could do while confined to the house. He could continue watching the TV show Trowa was so obsessed with, or he could try to raid their office for a book.

He wandered into the living room, deciding to knock out a few more episodes only to find Heero curled up on the couch, his tablet still in hand. At first glance, it looked like he was reading the news, but closer inspection revealed it to be emails from the office. Heero’s scowl served as a pretty good indicator as well.

Duo paused mid step, reconsidering his options, when Heero turned to look at him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh?” Duo answered, confused by the question.

“You were about to come over, but you stopped. Is something wrong?” Heero clarified, his brows set in a slight frown.

“Oh, no, it’s just,” Duo scratched his head, suddenly self-conscious. “I was going to watch a few more episodes of that show, but I didn’t want to bother you.”

Heero grunted and shut down his tablet, laying it on the side table. “It’s nothing important,” he said, cutting off Duo’s protest. “I’ll watch a few with you.”

Duo settled in the recliner, watching as Heero pulled up their most recent episode. The pair sat in comfortable silence, each wrapped in their own thoughts as they watched.

Just as the episode ended, Heero’s tablet chirped, sharp and insistent. Heero sighed and reached for it, opening the notification only to purse his lips.

“Something wrong?” Duo asked, ignoring the action on TV.

“The usual urgent message in need of an immediate reply,” Heero said, his tone flat. “Sorry, but I have to answer this.”

“No worries, do what you need to.” Duo smiled reassuringly, watching long enough to see Heero dock the tablet on a detachable keyboard before returning his attention to the TV. The muffled sound of typing filled in the silent background, playing counterpoint to the events on the screen.

Duo watched with mild interest until a certain scene brought an interesting thought to his mind, one he hadn’t thought about since leaving the hospital. After a brief debate, Duo grabbed the remote, pausing the show.

“Heero,” Duo trailed off, waiting for any signs he was bothering the other man.

“Yes?” Heero answered without looking up.

“How did you know about my disease when Sally didn’t?”

The sound of typing immediately stopped, and Duo held his breath as he watched Heero’s shoulders tense. After a long moment, Heero sighed heavily. He saved his file, then lowered the tablet, setting it off to the side, his expression pained.

“I learned about it a long time ago,” he said, his eyes downcast.

“It doesn’t seem like common knowledge,” Duo ventured, his curiosity piqued. “Did you read about it somewhere?”

Heero grimaced. “No, I… I saw it.”

Duo gasped in surprise, but remained silent, waiting for Heero to elaborate.

Heero took a steadying breath. “When I was a child, the man who raised me gave me a piece of advice: always follow your emotions,” Heero began slowly, his eyes unfocused. “At first, I didn’t really understand what that meant, so I put it out of my mind.”

Duo watched as he shifted, clutching his hands together. “But it was important to him that I understood. One day, while we were coming back from an assignment, he brought me to a morgue. He didn’t tell me anything, refused to explain why we were there. We just… waited. But then, the coroner brought in a body.”

Heero clenched his eyes shut, his knuckles white. Duo wanted to do something, to comfort him, but he was frozen, riveted by the story.

“When he unzipped the bag,” Heero took a shuddering breath. “There was a man inside who looked like he had choked to death on a bouquet of flowers, and I said as much. The coroner told me, yes, he had, but not in the way you’re thinking.” He shook his head, trying to dispel the gruesome memories.

“The coroner called it Hanahaki Disease. The flowers had come from inside his body. They had grown up from his lungs, and bloomed when he died.” Heero continued quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “He told me how letting your emotions fester inside you allowed the seeds to grow.” Heero looked up at Duo, pinning him to his seat. “I never forgot that lesson.”

Duo lowered his gaze, the story leaving him unsettled. He knew, without a doubt, that he loved Heero. He knew he loved Trowa equally. He had been captivated by them during the war, watching them fight with single-minded determination, unwavering in their desire to save the colonies. There was no one else like them.

But the fear was always there, the fear of rejection, of disgust, of losing two of only a handful of people who knew and understood him, people he considered family, if nothing else. He couldn’t handle losing a third family.

Duo knew he felt things deeply; his entire persona was based on the memories of those he had lost. He hadn’t considered what he felt to be festering, but perhaps his well of emotions had slowly been poisoned. It had been difficult to watch the pair fall in love with each other, but had that moment been the trigger, the pivotal factor setting off the chain of events leading to this point?

His wellspring of love, tainted by fear, jealousy, and more than a little self loathing. He had done this to himself; only he could undo it.

Heero rose, crossing the distance to lay a hand on Duo’s shoulder. When he looked up, Heero was watching him intently. “I know you’ll do the right thing.”

Duo remained skeptical, unsure of his ability to say the dreaded words out loud. Heero squeezed his shoulder. “Duo, no one is going to abandon you because of who your heart chooses.”

He drew a shaky breath and nodded. “Thank you.”

With one more gentle squeeze, Heero walked around him to the stairs. “I have to submit my report. I’ll be in the office if you need me.”

Silence overtook the room, but Duo wasn’t quite ready to break the spell. Everyone believed in him, thought him capable of having the guts to admit his deepest desires to the people most important to him. Were people always this afraid to speak up? Was it always this difficult to admit one’s love for another? Obviously his circumstances made things a bit more complicated, but love was something to be celebrated, right?

His friends had stated as much. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as he thought. After all, it couldn’t get much worse than actually dying.

Plus, he had promised Wufei he would try.

Duo snorted and unpaused the episode. He just had to figure out how.

Hours later, Duo stood and stretched, ready for some real food after his mini marathon. Heero had remained upstairs, no doubt working while Duo lazed around. He felt slightly guilty for it, but at the same time, was relieved that Une hadn’t tried to send home reports for him to finish.

Just as he was about to climb the stairs, Heero appeared at the top carrying a bowl and a couple cups.

“Looking for me?” Heero asked as he came down.

“I was wondering if you were getting hungry,” Duo replied, stepping back to let him pass, then followed him into the kitchen. “It’s getting close to dinner.”

“I can wait until Trowa gets something ready,” Heero said, setting his dishes in the sink. “He usually has all the meals planned out, so I don’t worry about them.”

“You mean you don’t do anything cooking related whatsoever?” Duo asked in disbelief. “Not even prep?”

“Trowa banned me from the kitchen shortly after we moved in,” Heero said flatly. “I managed to burn a pot of water.”

Duo stared at him, then burst out laughing, bracing himself on the counter. Heero’s slight pout only made it worse.

“Holy shit,” Duo said between breaths. “That’s incredible.”

Heero crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t think it’s very funny.”

“Can you at least help me get the utensils out?” Duo straightened, wiping tears from his eyes.

Heero smirked at him. “Oh? Asking for help this time?”

Duo felt his cheeks flame as Heero’s smirk grew. “Yeah, well, you’re not much taller than I am. How do you get them down?”

“I use the foot stool.”

Duo followed Heero’s flippant gesture to the small stool tucked in the corner. “Oh.”

“My work here is done,” Heero deadpanned. He turned and left, leaving Duo to gape after him.

Duo rolled his eyes, tossing his hands in the air before shoving the stool into place with his foot. Mission accomplished, he rummaged around the kitchen, setting out the supplies needed for dinner.

“I could get used to this.”

Duo jumped, scrambling to grab the spoon he had pulled from the drawer. Utensil firmly in his grasp, he turned to see Trowa leaning on the door frame, watching him with a pleased expression. He hadn’t even heard the garage or main door open. Maybe he was getting sloppy.

“What, you mean actually having a helper in the kitchen?” Duo asked defensively.

“Hm, that’s nice too,” Trowa answered easily.

Duo blushed and turned away, making an extra effort to align the utensils just so on the counter, anything to distract him from the intense stare.

“I can get it from here,” Trowa said, rolling up his sleeves before grabbing ingredients from the pantry.

“Are you sure? I can help out,” Duo protested, watching Trowa glide around the kitchen. “I’m at least a step above burnt water.”

Trowa barked a laugh, eyeing Duo over his shoulder. “Heero told you about that?”

“It was his cop out when I asked him to help with this,” Duo smiled back, relaxing against the counter. “So, yay or nay?”

“Nay,” Trowa stated, reaching around Duo to grab a knife. “You’re our guest, and guests don’t cook.” He huffed a laugh at Duo’s pout, then shoved him towards the door. “Now you’re in the way. Dinner will be served in a half hour.”

“Ugh, fine,” Duo said dramatically, dragging his feet as he shuffled out of the kitchen.

A half hour passed quickly, despite being confined to the living room. Heero had waved off his attempts to help set the table, citing the agreement the pair had worked out.

“I have to set the table when Trowa does the cooking.”

Despite what Heero had said, they moved around each other easily, settling into a routine they both knew intimately. Duo stood back and watched as they set the table, Heero setting out the plates while Trowa brought the food.

Trowa glanced up and caught Duo’s eye. “Come sit down, everything’s ready.”

Having dinner with the couple turned out to be a lesson in domestic torture.

The pair switched easily between comfortable silence and concise conversations, sharing snippets of their day while exchanging knowing looks and fond expressions. Each exchange sent a jolt through Duo’s chest, disturbing the vines and provoking the blooms. He swallowed each intrusion back, using his meal as a cover, but he could only hold off the blooms for so long.

Duo covered his mouth as he coughed, eyes clenched shut from the exertion. He heard them rise from their seats, felt their hands on his back as he fought against the relentless blooms. He gasped as the petals broke free, slipping through his fingers onto the table.

Duo sagged in his chair, leaning heavily against the arms wrapped around his shoulders as he gasped for breath.

“Are you alright?”

Duo opened his eyes, too tired to act surprised by how close Trowa’s face was to his own. He nodded slowly, closing his mouth to inhale through his nose.

“Duo…” Heero pulled away, his entire focus on the scattered petals. He held one in his palm, staring at it with a mix of horror and anger. He suddenly clenched his fist, crushing the petal in his palm as he whirled on the exhausted man.

“Does Sally know?”

Duo slowly shook his head as Trowa looked on in confusion. Heero practically growled, his fists white knuckled as he held himself back.

“You promised you would tell her the moment something changed. This,” he snatched another petal off the table, holding it aloft for them to inspect, “is serious! The petals used to be white! Now look at them!”

Trowa gasped, reaching out to grab the petal from Heero’s grip. Duo wanted to grab it, hoard all the petals and hide them away, but the damage was already done. The pink blooms betrayed him.

“That’s blood,” Heero said angrily. “You already have thorns growing, and you never thought to tell us? This disease is progressing much faster than we anticipated.”

“I didn’t want you to worry,” Duo said weakly, already knowing it was a flimsy excuse. They were already worried. He didn’t want to acknowledge that his time was shorter than he expected. The end was already looming.

He wasn’t ready.

“How are we supposed to help you if you don’t tell us these things?” Heero pressed on, his anger almost overwhelming. Duo flinched under the tirade, but he couldn’t blame him. Even he could see the fear that fueled the angry words.

“Are they worth your life?” Trowa asked quietly. Heero’s anger was one thing, but Trowa’s quiet disappointment was too much.

“You don’t understand!” Duo yelled, pushing away from Trowa’s arm to rise from his seat, gasping as the exertion shifted the thorns. He could feel them beneath his skin, just beginning to push against their remaining barrier. “I could ruin everything!”

“And you don’t think your death would affect us at all?” Trowa answered furiously, his brows drawn in a scowl. “Everyone here cares about you. You can’t just give up!”

Duo shook his head slowly, his chest constricting as he let his emotions pour over his face, desperate and pleading for Trowa to understand. “It’s not worth destroying their lives for mine.”

The second the words left his mouth, the world stopped, his breath freezing in his chest. Duo knew he was doomed. He never meant to say that much, never meant to reveal just how fucked up he was.

It was over.

Trowa could have been carved from stone, locked in place by the stunning revelation. “Them? You’re in love with two people?”

Heero reached for Duo, but he pulled away, wrapping his arms around himself as he wished furiously for a hole to open up and swallow him.

“That’s why the disease is so aggressive, because it has twice as much to act on,” Heero said, his voice a quiet contrast against his earlier anger.

“Like I said, it’s not worth destroying their lives to save my own,” Duo choked out, his eyes blurring with unshed tears. “I can’t do that.”

“Oh, Duo, no,” Trowa crossed the distance with a long stride, wrapping Duo in his arms, despite his weak protest. “You can’t think like that. You are worth so much more than that.” Duo drew a shuddering breath, inhaling his scent, selfishly wishing he could stay here forever.

“What about us?” Heero asked, adding his arms to the mix, tugging both men close. “Don’t we mean anything to you?”

A sob ripped from Duo’s throat, his face crumbling in the wake of Heero’s words. They didn’t know what they were doing to him. They couldn’t know they were the cause of his slow death. He clutched at them, burying his face between and just let himself go, savoring the time as long as he could.

It would all be over soon; he could allow himself to be selfish.

For one moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang, this was a long one, but there wasn't a good place for a break, so here we are. It's all falling apart...
> 
> I want to especially thank tumbledrylemur for asking a particular question way back regarding Heero's knowledge of the disease. I hadn't planned on addressing it, but you got me thinking, so that scene is for you! <3


	7. Chapter 7

The rest of the evening had been a bust, with Duo quickly retreating to his room. The pair had let him go without comment, though he could still feel their stares boring into his back, watching until he disappeared behind the door.

He had quickly changed and collapsed into bed, praying the evening’s explosive revelations would remain a memory, leaving him with a new day.

The next morning greeted him just as brightly as the one before, causing Duo to groan and roll away from the offending light. He gathered what little willpower he possessed so early in the morning, and rolled out of bed, shuffling to the bathroom.

After shedding his clothes, Duo adjusted the knobs of the shower, leaning his head back against the cool tiles as he thought back to the ruined evening. He had never meant to get so emotional, never meant to say half the things that had spilled from his mouth. But for all his initial embarrassment, he had to admit he felt lighter for them, unloading a weight from his shoulders.

The couple knew where he stood, to a certain degree. They knew the depths of his attraction, even if they didn’t know the source.

He inhaled as deeply as he could, then stepped under the hot spray, sighing as the water relaxed tense muscles and equally tense thoughts.

Duo went through the motions mindlessly then stepped out of the shower, reaching for a towel. A wave of vertigo surged over him, and he gripped the towel bar as he gasped, blinking rapidly to clear his head. As the sensation passed, Duo remained in place, panting as he fought to catch his breath.

Once he felt a bit more stable, he grabbed the towel, slowly drying himself as his mind raced.

He had been fine yesterday, but Heero had said the disease was progressing faster than they thought. Which meant the vines were beginning to impede his ability to perform basic tasks without getting winded and lightheaded. Did that mean he would be reduced to fighting for breath if he so much as rolled out of bed?

Duo held the towel around his waist, bracing his arm on the counter as he took measured breaths. He forced himself to remain calm, to not give in to the frustration and anger that threatened to ruin his little progress.

He felt weak, helpless, too feeble and winded to even take a shower without losing his breath. He felt like a sickly old man, unable to take care of the simplest tasks without help.

He hated it.

After a few more measured breaths, Duo began to dress, moving slowly to prevent another flare, a feat in and of itself. His frustrations mounted when he turned his attention to his hair, handing heavy and wet down his back.

He didn’t have the energy to mess with it. Not without help.

Duo growled at his reflection, then shoved away from the counter, wrapping a towel around his hair, then snatched his brush as he left.

He would just have to deal with it; after all, he had brought this on himself. He could fix it all with a few simple words.

But he couldn’t say it to one without the other. He would have to wait until Heero got home. Until then, he would have to suffer Trowa’s help with his hair.

Duo stomped down the stairs, impressive given his carefully measured pace, and stepped into the living room, making a beeline for Trowa.

He was sprawled on the couch again, this time with a book in hand. He didn’t look up until Duo stood over him, waiting to be acknowledged.

Trowa glanced over the book, one eyebrow raised in question.

“I need your help,” Duo said evenly. Trowa glanced at the white knuckled grip he held on the brush, then raised his eyes to the towel wrapped around his head before answering.

“What do you need me to do?” Trowa marked his page and set the book aside, rising to his feet. Duo looked away, staring at the floor, his cheeks flushed.

“I need you to fix my hair,” Duo mumbled, his shoulders tense.

Trowa hummed thoughtfully, then left, leaving Duo to look after him in confusion. He returned shortly with a dining chair and set it to next to the coffee table. He inclined his head to the seat, reaching out to gently pull the brush from Duo’s grip.

“Tell me what to do,” Trowa said, setting behind the chair as Duo sat down. He pulled the towel off his head and flipped his hair over the back of the chair, leaning back as well.

“Start from the bottom, work out the tangles, then move up a section, rinse and repeat,” Duo instructed, closing his eyes. He could almost feel Trowa hesitate, then a small tug pulled on his head. The tugs were sporadic at first, almost too gentle to be of much effect, but Trowa soon fell into a rhythm.

Duo found himself drifting as he succumbed to the relaxing ministrations, his mind floating between thoughts until certain, nagging questions drifted to the surface, piling on one after the other.

Even if he did confess, what would happen? Would the vines simply disappear? Would he have to cough up what flowers already bloomed? What if the vines only shriveled up and died, leaving their remains in his chest?

Duo blanched at the thought; Sally would have to do the surgery anyway, just to remove the debris.

What about the thorns? What damage had they done, and was it permanent? What if he never regained the full function of his lungs? How would that affect his status as a field agent? The thought of being confined to a desk job, or worse, rookie training, was almost as horrifying as dying.

Duo suppressed a shiver, but the uncertainty left a heavy weight on his mind, insistent and demanding.

“You’re thinking awfully hard about something,” Trowa commented absently, running the brush through Duo’s hair in long, even strokes. Duo could tell the tangles had long ago been dealt with, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask Trowa to stop.

“I just, don’t know what will happen next,” he replied, knowing the answer would only pique Trowa’s curiosity.

“Next? You’ve made a decision?”

Duo frowned. Had he? All the questions he had been pondering implied he lived through this experience, something that hinged on his ability to speak the truth to those who needed to hear it. Or was he simply not ready to die?

No… He was ready. Despite his fears, Trowa was still here, behaving as though Duo’s confession hadn’t changed anything between them. It gave him hope that Heero would be the same, were he able to be here. They were his best friends, and now confidants, and they were still here.

He hadn’t ruined their friendship. Maybe there was hope.

“I think I have,” Duo answered slowly.

Trowa paused, leaning around him to look in his eyes. Duo met his stare evenly, suddenly feeling lighter than he had since this entire thing started.

“You have,” Trowa confirmed, his lips quirking in a slight smile. “All we need are the rest of the players.”

“I’ll need Heero’s help too,” Duo said, threading his hands together, gripping them tightly.

“You don’t think I can handle it myself?” Trowa joked, resuming his brushing.

“I think it’s only fair Heero can help too, since both of you have helped me.”

Duo heard Trowa hum in agreement. “A fair point. I guess I’ll just have to wait.”

Duo snorted. “You make it sound like it’s Christmas or something.”

“Maybe it is,” Trowa said. “This is a big deal. I’m allowed to look forward to your decision. I can only hope for the best for you.”

Duo lowered his eyes, his cheeks slightly red. “Thanks, Trowa.”

Trowa’s phone pinged, ending their discussion. Duo moved to the couch as Trowa unlocked the device, his eyes darting over the screen. A sharp gasp sent Duo to attention.

Trowa could have been carved from stone. He stared at the screen, his fingers wrapped tightly around the phone.

“Trowa?”

He didn’t even twitch. Duo rose from his seat, closing the distance, his brow creased with worry. He tentatively touched Trowa’s arm, forcing himself to remain still when the taller man jumped.

“Duo…”

Duo took a moment to glance at the screen, catching the message before the screen went black.

_Shots fired at the office, be back late_

He felt his heart clench at the dreaded words, but he didn’t allow himself to panic. Trowa needed him.

He looked up, surprised to find Trowa watching him intently, his face clear of any masks. He was scared, worried, unsure, every emotion written for Duo to read.

Duo took a calming breath, ignoring the tightness in his lungs. “If it were serious, he would have called,” he said reasonably. “Trust me, he probably sent it as a courtesy, so you wouldn’t get to work tomorrow and find out from someone else.”

Trowa closed his eyes, clearly struggling to wrestle the fear away. He inhaled slowly through his nose, his chest rising and falling in carefully measured breaths.

“Right, you’re right,” Trowa said, his voice clipped.

Duo pulled lightly on his arm, guiding him the couch, then settled next to him. Trowa leaned forward on his elbows, his eyes fixed on the floor, the lines of his shoulders tense. The pair sat in silence as the minutes ticked by, every moment lasting an eternity.

“He should have said something by now,” Trowa said tightly.

“If it was serious, someone would have called you,” Duo repeated evenly. “Everything will be okay.”

Trowa didn’t reply, instead clasping his hands tightly. Duo hated waiting, hated not knowing how Heero was or the status at Preventers, but he knew Trowa hated it more.

He reached over, resting his hand on Trowa’s. When he failed to react, Duo squeezed once.

“Hey.”

Worried, green eyes met his own, and Duo smiled, pouring as much faith and reassurance into the gesture as possible. “Everything’s going to be alright. Trust me, and trust him.”

Trowa inhaled deeply, untangling his hands to grab Duo’s between them. “I do,” he answered with a shaky smile. “Thank you.”

Duo nodded, shifting closer to lessen the strain on his arm.

The pair sat quietly as the day drifted on, waiting for any word, never once letting go. Duo glanced between their clasped hands and Trowa’s face, worrying his lip as they sat in silence. He wanted to say something, anything to reassure him, but he couldn’t think of anything that wouldn’t sound insincere or inadequate.

He took the time to really study Trowa. He knew he was quiet by nature, a trait he shared with Heero, but now the silence sat heavy between them, almost physical in its weight. Trowa was tense, his leg bouncing minutely as he tapped his foot.

The oppressive silence was broken by the sound of the garage opening and a car pulling in. Trowa rose swiftly, dropping Duo’s hand to wait by the door, his focus squarely on Heero.

When he finally stepped into the room, Trowa as there and ready. Duo watched as he caught Heero’s face in his hands, his hold gentle as he studied him, grounded himself with his presence. He trailed his fingers over his cheeks, down his neck, tracing over his shoulders to run his hands down the length of his arms to tightly grasp Heero’s hands. Trowa then brought them to his lips, close his eyes as he held them there.

“You’re safe.”

It was barely a whisper, a brush of air across Heero’s knuckles, but it was enough. Heero leaned forward, resting his head against Trowa’s chest as he pulled their hands out of the way. He heaved a tired sigh, and they wrapped their arms around each other tightly, clinging to reassurances, hands tangled in clothing as they just breathed.

They didn’t speak; there were no words.

Duo watched them, a new ache growing in his chest, fighting for dominance with the flowers in residence. They were beautiful, they were in love, they were perfect.

They didn’t need him.

He rose slowly, watching them warily for signs they had noticed, but they remained locked in place, their entire world focused to the bubble of their own creation.

Duo backed away, toward the only private refuge this floor allowed. When they didn’t react to his retreat, he turned away, moving swiftly into the tiny bathroom, closing the door carefully despite the clawing in his throat.

He collapsed to his hands and knees as the ache redoubled, his anguish triggering the tightening of the vines, the insistent growth of the flowers. He pressed his hands to his mouth as the blooms pushed against him, setting off a wave of hacking as he worked to breathe. Petals slipped through the gaps, a bud spilled from his mouth, each stained pink with his blood, and still the ache pressed on. His sides screamed in protest, his chest was dotted with points of pain. Every choking cough brought more; it never seemed to stop.

It was getting harder to breathe. Duo could feel the petals lining his mouth, throat, and further, the delicate pieces catching the buds and blooms, impeding their movement as the relentless tide left more in their wake.

This is it, Duo thought, shaking from the strain and fear.

_I’m too late._

He jumped as the sound of the door cut through the room, collapsing onto his side as hands roamed his body, rubbing his chest and back. Someone rolled him over, holding him in their arms as his head lolled back, too weak to make the effort.

As the edges of his vision blurred, he could hear his named being called, each iteration more desperate than the last. He couldn’t have answered if he wanted, his throat too raw, burning and sore.

_I’m sorry._

With a final sigh, Duo gave up the fight, and succumbed to the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, um, yeah, about that angst.


	8. Chapter 8

Duo woke slowly, blinking at the familiar words scrolled above his head. He cataloged the press of an oxygen mask over his face, the bands digging into his cheeks.

He blinked, turning his head, his eyes landing on Sally. She stood by his bed, her expression open relief, her tension shown only in the white knuckled grip she held on the bars.

“I’m getting tired of waking up to you,” Duo said with a weak grin.

“You can’t be too sick of me if you keep coming back,” Sally replied with a tight smile.

“Guess I just like your company.”

Sally lowered the rails and sat on the bed. “Keep this up, and I may just have you pay me back with drinks.”

Duo raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? One for each visit?”

“With interest, of course.”

Duo smirked, bumping his hand against her leg weakly. “Hope you don’t mind if I pay you back in installments. I’d hate to give you alcohol poisoning on our first date.”

Sally tipped her head, her tone playful even as her brow pinched. “A date? Something you need to confess?”

Duo suddenly looked at her seriously, focusing on her intently. “Sally Po, I love you,” he said firmly. “I would stop a bullet for you.”

Sally held her breath, caught off guard by his words.

“But I draw the line at vomiting flowers.”

She laughed loudly, wrapping an arm around her stomach as Duo grinned in satisfaction. “I’d smother you if you weren’t doing such a good job already.” Her gaze softened as she watched him, smoothing his bangs back from his forehead.

“What are you doing, Duo?”

Duo closed his eyes, her tender expression cutting through him like a knife. He meant every word; he did love her. She was the big sister he never had, one of the most down to earth and honest people he had ever encountered.

“I don’t know anymore.”

“Trowa mentioned a decision,” Sally prompted, bracing her arm next to his hip to lean over him. “Sounds important.”

Duo grimaced and turned away as much as his mask allowed. “I thought I was too late.” He closed his eyes against the sudden burn. “I may still be.”

“Bullshit.”

He looked at her in surprise, her blunt declaration catching him off guard. “You’re still here, you’re still breathing. How are you too late?”

Duo gaped at her, any arguments he had lost to her fierce gaze.

“Besides,” she continued, leaning back to cross her arms. “You broke your promise. Now you owe me one.”

Duo flushed as he remembered their conversation, guilt coloring his cheeks. He refrained from commenting on Heero’s reaction to his broken vow. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“I’m not angry with you,” Sally said, pausing when Duo tossed her a look. “Okay, I am angry with you, but that’s not important. You have a second chance. You have to promise me you’ll use it.”

Before Duo could answer, the door burst open, revealing Quatre in full mission mode trailed by a panic-stricken nurse.

“Sir, you can’t just barge in!”

“Alice, it’s alright. I’ll handle him,” Sally called. The nurse sighed with relief. She turned to the swinging door, then quickly jumped out of the way as a second intruder marched inside, dark eyes blazing with righteous anger.

“Maxwell, I’m going to kill you.”

Sally shooed the startled nurse out, hiding an amused grin when she all but ran from the room, closing the door behind her.

“Hi guys,” Duo chirped, waving weakly at the furious men.

“You promised me,” Wufei clenched his fists at his side, glaring down at the sheepish patient. “You said you would try.”

“I didn’t get the chance,” Duo explained, knowing it was a flimsy excuse.

“Didn’t get the- What kind of excuse is that?” Wufei exclaimed, pausing when Quatre held up a hand.

“Explain what happened, from the beginning,” he ordered, expression blank.

Duo sighed, relaxing into the pillows as he closed his eyes, and began to explain his week. He left out the close encounters of the tempting kind; those moments were too personal to share. When he finished, the trio remained silent, processing the new information.

“This really is your last chance,” Sally said somberly, her words weighing heavily him. “The x-rays show the vines have grown exponentially. If you don’t decide today, it may be too risky to operate.”

“He won’t need an operation,” Quatre stated firmly. “You have everything you need to fix this yourself,” he said, eyes locked with Duo.

Wufei remained silent, standing tense and restrained as he listened. Duo glanced at him, trying to gauge his mood, but the man remained stoic.

This was his chance. It was now or never.

 “I’m not having the surgery.”

Sally and Quatre froze, staring at him in disbelief. Duo squelched the touch of hurt as he read Quatre’s expression. Did he not believe he would follow through?

“Duo, you…you realize what this means. You have to confess, or die,” Sally said desperately.

He nodded, meeting everyone’s gaze. “I understand.”

“Good,” Wufei stated, nodding firmly at Duo. “If they reject you, I will personally hand you their asses.”

Duo barked a startled laugh, the heavy mood broken by his declaration. “Defending my honor?”

“Only because you won’t do it yourself.”

Duo smiled fondly at him. “Thanks, ‘Fei.”

Sally rose and gathered his folder, hiding her face from him as she mindlessly shuffled papers. He waited for her to regain her composure, respecting her need for privacy. “I guess I should get your discharge papers ready.”

She breezed out of the room without looking back. Wufei nodded at Duo, then followed her out, mumbling about calming down a couple assholes.

Duo snorted, but quickly sobered as the room fell silent, the air suddenly heavy.

“Quatre-“

“I know you’ll do the right thing,” Quatre said quickly, cutting off Duo’s words. “I can’t help but worry about you.” He fiddled with the cuff of his button shirt, a move so uncharacteristic Duo could only stare.

“You’re so stubborn; it’s beyond frustrating to watch everyone dance around each other,” Quatre huffed sharply, yanking on his sleeve. “What I’m trying to say, is please, be honest. Completely,” he added, arching an eyebrow when Duo opened his mouth to comment.

Duo studied him, taking in the wrinkled shirt, the dark circles, the minute fidgeting, all signs that Quatre had spent the night and most of the morning at his side, worrying about his wellbeing and most likely, blaming himself for Duo’s predicament.

“Thank you, Quatre,” Duo smiled, reaching for his hand, pulling it away from the tortured sleeve. “None of this is your fault.”

“But if I had just pushed for you to stay with me, instead of playing matchmaker in a life or death situation-“

“Stop,” Duo squeezed his hand. “This is all on me. You gave me plenty of chances to come clean, and I always put it off, using some lame excuse. But I promise you, I’ll make this right.”

Quatre huffed a shaky laugh as his eyes began to water. “You’re making a lot of promises. You better keep them all.”

“I will,” Duo swore. “Now, get me out of this fucking hospital.”

*

Sally returned with the required paperwork, her composure in check, and with two new visitors.

Heero and Trowa looked as haggard as he felt, and he felt a pang of guilt at putting everyone through a stressful night. He could tell from their expressions they had been filled in with the medical details, briefed on how dire his situation was.

They quickly ushered him out of the hospital, refraining from commenting in favor of getting him home. He was sure they had plenty to say on the matter.

The ride back was reminiscent of his first trip, only a few days before, but it felt like so long ago.

They were angry. He could feel it coming off them in waves, each pulse sinking into his gut like a knife. He couldn’t blame them; he would be upset if they neglected their health as he had, but they had so much more to live for. They had each other, a perfect home, a future.

There was no one waiting for him. He had promised he would try, but it still felt like a far-flung dream.

Once home, Duo led the way inside. He could feel their eyes watching his every move, making sure he didn’t falter on the long walk up the stairs. He paused at the top to catch his breath, taking longer than he’d care to admit, then moved to claim his spot on the couch.

He snorted bitterly to himself. Home? His spot? It hadn’t taken long for him to settle into this dream, to make believe this could be his life. But he had to admit, it had been easy to settle in, as though he were another piece of the puzzle, a hole that could only be filled with his presence. He was relaxed, comfortable, and filled with a peace that only comes with a place that is truly home.

It was worth confessing for that alone.

“So, you’re just going to give up,” Heero started, stalking across the room to pace along the coffee table. “You’re going to throw away your life for _them_.”

Duo blinked in surprise; he hadn’t expected Heero to go on the offensive straight out the gate.

“Would they be happy knowing you died for them? Would they ask that of you?” Heero demanded, glaring at the carpet as he walked.

“They’ve never asked anything of me,” Duo answered, confused by his anger.

“What have they done to deserve you?” Trowa asked, sitting down slowly on the edge of the table, his entire focus on Duo.

He shook his head, unable to meet his eyes. “They’re the two bravest people I know, who have been through hell and back, and still have the capacity to care. I tried to think of one without the other, and I just, can’t.” He shrugged weakly, unable to completely vocalize just how much they meant to him.

“And if someone loved you as much as you love them? What would you do?” Trowa continued, tipping his head, trying to catch Duo’s eyes.

Duo gaped at Trowa, suddenly realizing the source of their anger. He had come straight home with them without mentioning who he needed to confess to. They thought he was coming home to die. With a burst of clarity, he understood why Quatre had been so frustrated.

“Impossible.”

“Duo,”

He shook his head, refusing to answer. A gentle hand cupped his jaw, and he gasped in surprise, recognizing the calluses that scrapped lightly over his skin. Another buried itself in his hair, guiding his face up until his lips pressed against another in a soft, chaste kiss.

His breath left him in a rush, leaving him dazed when they pulled away. He opened his eyes and stared into deep green, still so close to his own. “You… what about-”

“What if we loved you?” Trowa leaned in again, capturing his lips, cutting off any objections. Duo hesitated a moment, then pressed back, reaching to grip Trowa’s shirt, pulling him closer as they deepened the kiss. A warm tongue licked along the line of his lips, and Duo moaned in response, opening his mouth eagerly. Trowa was strong and steady, taking his time to map every inch of Duo’s mouth and lips, swallowing every sound Duo made. They pulled apart slowly, breathing the same air as Duo stared at his red, swollen lips.

His head felt light, and for the first time, it wasn’t due to the vines.

Then another hand was sliding to cradle the back of his head, turning him away as the cushions dipped, upsetting his balance. Duo fell against a warm, firm chest, bracing against his forearms as he looked up into hungry, blue eyes.

Heero leaned down, capturing Duo’s lips with a fierce certainty. Duo melted against him as Heero ravaged his mouth, each thrust of his tongue demanding and thorough. Duo could only moan helplessly, swept up in waves of desire as Heero threatened to drown him.

They parted slowly, chests heaving in time as they stared, Duo’s expression glazed with a mix of want and confusion.

“Are we good enough?” Heero whispered, his eyes boring into Duo’s open and pleading, laid bare for Duo to see.

It was too much and not enough. It was everything he ever wanted, and everything his nightmares supplied. It was now a matter of a life with the two people he cherished most, or death, dying to preserve their perfect status quo.

Duo was scared, but for once, he wanted to be selfish too.

“It’s you!” Duo cried, his eyes clenched tightly shut, his head bowed. “It’s always been you.”

Silence met his declaration, but Duo pressed on. He was already in this deep, there was nothing more he could do except unburden himself.

“I have loved you for as long as I’ve known you, from the battlefields, safe houses, schools, hell, even taking a swing from both of you,” Duo scoffed and shook his head. “I watched you find each other, admitting something I have always been too scared to say, that I needed you, _both_ of you, but by then, it was too late. You had each other. You didn’t need me,” he ended with a whisper, drained from his outburst.

“You’re right, we did find each other,” Trowa began softly. “But it wasn’t enough for either of us.”

Duo looked up with a start, glancing between Heero and Trowa. The couple shared a look, silently communicating what Duo couldn’t hope to decipher.

“We thought we were happy,” Heero picked up, returning his gaze to Duo. “It quickly became clear we both needed something else, or rather, someone else.”

“I never wanted to hope,” Duo whispered, his eyes roaming over Trowa’s face, searching for any signs of hesitation, that what he assumed was wrong. Finding none, he turned to Heero, his worries mounting even with half the battle won.

Heero met his searching gaze with an equally steady patience, knowing that Duo needed a validation beyond words to assuage his fears.

The pair watched as realization crept across his face, his eyes widening, displaying his unique violet hue against his flushed face. “You really mean it.”

Heero smiled softly, reaching out to cradle Duo’s face in his hands, holding him as though he were a treasure to be revered. “We dared to hope, but never wanted to frighten you away or destroy the friendship we have.”

Duo whimpered as Trowa wrapped his arms around him from behind, pressing flush against his back as he buried his face in the side of Duo’s neck, inhaling deeply. “We’ve wanted you for so long,” he whispered, his hot breath sending a shiver through Duo’s body.

His eyes fluttered shut as Trowa began pressing kisses to the side of his neck, making his way to the graceful curve of his neck and shoulder. Duo jolted and gasped in surprise when Trowa bit down, revealing a sensitivity he wasn’t aware of.

Heero leaned forward, peppering Duo’s face with light kisses, each as gentle as a brush of air, tracing a path from his mouth to his nose up to his forehead, where he pressed a delicate kiss.

Duo let go of his fears, allowing himself to be swept away by their tender ministrations, overwhelmed by their meticulous care. It was beyond anything he could have imagined, that they would treat him as something to be treasured.

Each kiss was placed with care, every caress lined with the promise of love and devotion.

The pair worked in tandem with the same single-minded focus that had pulled him into their orbits so long ago. Every sigh pulled from his lips was a tiny declaration of his surrender, every moan a nail in the coffin, damning him to their every whim.

“I think we need to take this upstairs,” Trowa murmured into Duo’s ear, biting playfully on his lobe, causing him to drop his head back on Trowa’s shoulder. Heero immediately latched onto his neck, sucking at Duo’s pulse.

“Please,” Duo moaned, too overwhelmed to function.

The trio somehow made it up the flights of stairs to the master, shedding clothes along the way, until all that remained between them were their heavy breaths.

With every stuttered breath, Duo could feel the vines loosen, releasing their grip until their presence was all but forgotten, lost to the tide of desire that swelled as they maneuvered him to lie on the bed.

Duo’s chest heaved as he lay out before them, hair in disarray, arms arched above his head as he stared at their equally flushed faces.

“God, you’re beautiful,” Heero breathed, reaching out to touch, but stopping just above revealed skin, awe lighting his face.

“We could never leave you,” Trowa affirmed, his expression as tender as his softly spoken words. He slid his fingers across the top of Heero’s outstretched hand, guiding it down to slide along the planes of Duo’s stomach, lips parted as he watched the flutter of muscle just below the surface.

Duo arched into their combined touch, his head falling back as he moaned breathlessly. They were going to kill him at this rate. Each touch was enough to him wild, but the intent behind it, the feelings they spoke with each caress was overwhelming.

“Please,” Duo begged, unsure of what he was pleading for, but knowing he needed more.

He felt the shiver that passed through them at his desperate plea, watching with a dazed expression as Heero inhaled sharply, wrapping his hand around Duo’s waist. Trowa’s smirk turned knowing, maneuvering around Duo’s sprawled form until he straddled his head, kneeling over him to gently stroke his cheek.

“Say it again,” Trowa said firmly, his voice barely above a whisper. He spoke with his eyes locked with Heero’s, though his attention was entirely on tracing the firm lines and ridges of Duo’s body.

Duo gasped as Trowa teased him, his clever fingers roaming his chest, sending spikes of desire through him. “God, please!” Duo cried, his hands shifting to grab Trowa’s legs where they framed his head.

Heero growled low in his chest, his eyes snapping to Duo.   

“That’s right,” Trowa praised, raking his short nails over Duo’s chest, tweaking his nipples as he passed. “Just like that.”

Duo arched off the bed, chasing the sensation.

Heero leaned down, licking a long strip along Duo’s length, base to tip. “Jesus Christ!” Duo cursed, earning a chuckle. He then wrapped his lips around his head, sucking lightly as he licked across his slit. Duo writhed, his hips thrusting in short, aborted movements, fighting between the urge to surge into Heero’s warm mouth and concern for not choking him.

Duo was so far gone, he didn’t notice when Trowa pulled away, didn’t hear the snap of a lid opening until a single finger pressed against his entrance, circling the tight muscle until he relaxed, allowing Heero to sink into him.

The sensation was perfect and not enough, strange but welcome as Duo adjusted. He was distracted from any discomfort as Heero swallowed more of his length, hollowing his cheeks as he pulled away, moving in time with his finger.

Trowa leaned over, plundering Duo’s mouth as Heero added another finger, carefully stretching him. He licked against Duo’s pants, a surge of desire racing through him as Duo wrapped his lips around him and sucked. Trowa thrust his tongue eagerly, both moaning as they copied Heero’s actions.

Duo reluctantly pulled away, the burning fading into pleasure as Heero rocked his hand into him, no longer enough. “I’m ready, do it now.”

Heero released him with an obscene pop, eyes darkened, his pupils already blown wide, and he surged forward, claiming his mouth in a searing kiss before pulling back, grabbing the lube without breaking eye contact.

Duo watched as Heero smeared the lube along his dick, pumping slowly as he watched them with hooded eyes.

“Oh god,” Duo moaned, clutching at Trowa.

“Isn’t he gorgeous?” Trowa whispered, hot breath dancing across Duo’s sensitive skin. Duo could only nod, gulping for breath, the pause as torturous as touch.

“What do you want him to do?”

“Fuck me, I want him inside,” Duo answered immediately, body rocking against the sheets, searching for any kind of friction.

Trowa helped Duo sit up, then pulled him to lay back against his chest. Duo shivered as he felt Trowa’s length press against his back, hyperaware of the warm wetness that dripped down his skin.

Heero knelt between his legs, hooking his arms under Duo’s knees, spreading him wide, open and vulnerable. He settled one leg over his shoulder, taking himself in hand to line up with Duo’s entrance. He pressed against him slowly, just enough to tease.

Duo shook his head, his hips jerking in aborted attempts to force Heero closer. “Please, more,” he pleaded, gasping for breath as he clutched at Trowa’s arms, wrapped around him to hold him in place.

 Heero pressed forward slowly, using just enough pressure to pass the initial resistance. His mouth dropped open with a low growl, eyes clenched as he pushed forward with iron-clad control.

Duo gasped and moaned as he sank onto Heero’s length, the fullness perfect and not enough all at once. He stopped as he settled against Heero’s thighs, panting as he adjusted to the feeling. Trowa ran his hands up and down his sides, keeping him grounded.

“You feel so good,” Heero growled, his hips twitching as he spoke. The tiny movement shifted Duo just enough, allowing him to spear him even further.

“Move, please,” Duo breathed, his eyelids fluttering as he fought to keep his eyes locked with Heero’s, though every thrust made it more and more difficult to achieve.

Every thrust pressed him against Trowa’s length, and Trowa met him each time, his hips snapping against him, counterpoint to Heero. His arms tightened around Duo’s chest, fingers digging into his skin as he panted against his neck.

“Ngh, Duo!”

Trowa’s hips pounded once, twice, then stilled as he came, painting stripes of cum across Duo’s back, body trembling against his own. Duo practically keened from the sensation, reaching back to hold Trowa’s head against his own as Heero increased his pace.

Suddenly, Trowa pulled away, lowering Duo onto the bed, pinning his hands above his head, leaving him at Heero’s mercy.

The new position sent every thrust across his prostate, sending Duo higher as he chased the steady coiling in his belly. He could only gasp, all thought lost in the endless pleasure.

Duo shouted as a hand wrapped around his dick, slick with lube, squeezing with the perfect amount of pressure as he pumped. Duo looked down, watching himself thrust in and out of Trowa’s grip, the sight coupled with the feeling sending him to the edge.

“Heero, Trowa, I can’t- I’m gonna-“ Duo threw his head back, his hands twisting in the sheets.

“Come for us.”

Duo’s words dissolved into a long cry, his body arching off the bed as waves of pleasure rocked him to his core. It felt like fireworks were going off behind his eyes, painting his vision with bursts of color as his body quaked with aftershocks. He was vaguely aware of Heero tensing above him, filling him with warmth. He collapsed onto the bed, chest heaving, his body limp and heavy, tremors running along his limbs. He felt wrung out and spent, torn down to his basic necessities. Exist, breathe, and recover.

Two sets of arms wrapped around him, surrounding him with warmth that penetrated to his core, leaving him happy and content. Duo opened his eyes, rolling his head to one side, locking onto Trowa. He was watching with a satisfied smirk, the perfect combination of confident and sexy.

“Are you always this smug after sex?” Duo mumbled, almost too tired to even bother speaking.

Trowa’s smirk widened as Heero snorted. “Only after particularly good sex.”

“What he meant to say was ‘yes’,” Heero clarified, pulling a weak laugh out of Duo.

“Awesome,” Duo sighed, going limp in their arms. “I’m just gonna lay here a moment.”

The pair settled on either side, all parties ignoring the mess between them, ready to enjoy the simple pleasure of no barriers among them, ready to start a new chapter in their lives.

Duo heaved a heavy sigh when something caught in his throat, a familiar feeling he had all but forgotten.

He pulled away, sitting up as he coughed into his hand. He felt them shift, rising to flank him as he struggled against the obstruction.

“Duo!”

“What’s wrong?”

Their confused declarations echoed his own, voicing the fears that gripped his chest as tightly as the vines. Duo shook his head, one hand wrapped around his throat as the other reached blindly for them, his eyes clenched with each heave.

This one felt different, smaller, with edges that caught and scratched against his sensitive throat with each breath, fighting against his efforts. He felt one of them rub his back as the other grasped his hand, holding him steady as he struggled.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Duo coughed one final time and spit, catching the object in his palm. He took a moment to catch his breath, wincing as the cool air irritated his wounded throat.

“Are you alright?” Trowa asked softly, his hand holding Duo’s in an iron grip, his eyes pinched with worry.

Duo nodded, swallowing to sooth the throbbing scrapes. “I think it’s over,” he rasped, coughing lightly when his words caught.

“What was it?” Heero asked, his hand never stopping its soothing rhythm across Duo’s back.

Duo looked down at his palm, huffing in surprise as he realized what he held. His eyes welled with tears, causing the pair to jolt in alarm.

Duo looked up at them, his eyes bright as he gave the frightened pair a watery smile. “It’s over,” he said breathlessly, holding out his palm. “It’s really over.”

Trowa and Heero exchanged a worried look, then glanced down.

Held within Duo’s hand was a single, tiny seed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words cannot express the gratitude and love I have for each and every one of you. Every kudo, comment, rant, rebloop, and boost have been gifts. I cannot express how thankful I am for all the support.
> 
> This fic was a last minute idea, a fleeting memory of another fic I had read months ago, but I am so glad I decided to run with it.
> 
> Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, Thank You.


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